What did you do?
by Hazel Eyes401
Summary: Ichigo, what did you do?  Ichigo has finally gone insane and is doing everything he can think of to separate Toushiro Hitsugaya and his sister.  But, did he go too far this time?  Read and find out.  Rated T for a few fighting scenes.  Please R&R.  Enjoy
1. What did you do?

**Disclaimer: I don't own. If that wasn't completely obvious, do you think I would be writing fanfiction if I owned this amazing show? Anyway, Bleach belongs to Tite Kubo.**

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"I can't believe them!" Ichigo grumbled under his breath walking away from the police station. "To think, I was arrested for teaching some punks a lesson."

"You know that you deserved it." Rukia smugly reminded him as she perched on the railing of the bridge in her soul reaper form. Ichigo had finally been freed from jail after spending a night in the pen, so he was not exactly in a good mood (as if he had one).

"What are you doing here, Rukia?" Ichigo glared at her then blinked in surprise. "Rukia, what are you doing here?"

"I came to see that you don't get into anymore trouble, Ichigo." Rukia smiled her sickeningly sweet, evil smile.

"But, if you're here then who is watching over my house?"

"Captain Hitsugaya is there with Karin and Yuzu." Rukia answered waiting for the explosion from the teen and she didn't have to wait long.

"He's where?" Ichigo growled as steam began escaping his ears.

"He is at your house eating breakfast with your sisters." Rukia kindly answered ignoring the teen's rage.

"Why did you leave them?" Ichigo screeched running down the bridge in the direction of his house.

"If he's still there when I get back, then there will be heck to pay." Ichigo grumbled his dust trailing back to the bridge where Rukia remained perched on the railing.

"I better go stop him," Rukia sighed jumping from the rail and flash stepped appearing in front of Ichigo.

"WHAT?" Ichigo ran into her outstretched fist throwing him painfully back into the concrete, and gaining the attention of several pedestrians.

"Look Mom, there's a strange man fighting with a trash can." A little boy pointed to Ichigo arguing with Rukia while standing in front of the trash can, but sadly no human saw her – only the trash can.

"LOOK YOU CAN'T KEEP ME AWAY FROM MY SISTER!" Ichigo pointed to Rukia and raised his fist.

"Ichigo, people are starting to stare." Rukia calmly stated glancing around.

"I DON'T CARE!" Ichigo screeched causing many people to take a few steps back from the enraged teen.

"Mom, is that man alright?" The boy asked watching Ichigo stalk toward the trash can.

"Ichigo you need to remain calm."

"Calm? Calm? CALM! HOW CAN I STAY CALM WHEN YOU LEFT MY SISTER ALONE WITH THAT HALF-PINT OF A KID!" Ichigo screamed.

"Do you think we should call someone?" One pedestrian whispered to another who quietly nodded his head pulling out a cell phone from his pocket.

"Ichigo there is nothing to worry about. Captain Hitsugaya is a respectable and trustworthy young man. You have nothing to prove your suspicion of him." Rukia pointed out as she vainly attempted to reason with Ichigo.

"There is plenty to worry about! You left him alone!" Ichigo stomped up to her glaring down at the shorter soul reaper, and the humans watched him glare to the trashcan.

"They are not alone, Ichigo. Your father is with them." Rukia pointed out taking a step back from him, after all this is Ichigo and he is especially pissed off right now – Kenpachi would have a field day.

"IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MAKE ME FEEL BETTER?" Ichigo jumped for Rukia but she easily jumped away leaving poor Ichigo to crash into the trash can. Trash flew all over the sidewalk leaving a lovely banana peel to sit on his head. The pedestrians backed away from the teenager as his face changed to a lovely burgundy.

"Oh look Ichigo, the nice men in white coats are here." Rukia pointed to a white caged van pulling up to the side of the road. Two men in white coat and pants stepped from the vehicle and slowly approached Ichigo. He could see one of them held a straight jacket to his side continuing his slow approach.

"Uhm," Ichigo gulped calming to a more reasonable temperament.

"You've done it now, Ichigo. I tried to stop you, remember that when they drag you away." Rukia smugly answered. Ichigo glared back at her.

"Now sir if you'll come with us." The nearest man slowly walked up to Ichigo.

"Why would I go with you?" Ichigo returned to his sour self, his glare froze the two men in their tracks.

"Sir, we have reason to believe that you are not mentally fit." The man with the straight jacket slowly explained.

"What?" Ichigo asked confusion written all over his face.

"They think you're crazy." Rukia answered for him.

"YOU STAY OUT OF THIS!" Ichigo pointed back toward Rukia glaring at her.

"Yes sir, we will make sure the trashcan will be punished." The nearest white coated man explained as he continued his approach.

"What do you mean? I'm not talking to the trashcan. I'm talking to the girl standing behind the trashcan." The coated men and the pedestrians looked over to Rukia but sadly they had no spiritual talent and so only saw empty space.

"Sir, there is no girl standing behind the trashcan." The man with the straight jacket explained looking over to the empty space. Rukia cleared her throat and pulled her sword from its sheath. It was then Ichigo finally remembered one very important fact: humans can't see soul reapers.

"Uhm, it appears that you're right." Ichigo shyly exclaimed.

"Yes that's right." The white coated man still approached him.

"I'll just be on my way. I apologize for the trouble." Ichigo replied backing away further from the men.

"Will you be alright sir?" The nearest man asked Ichigo.

"Yes, I'll just go on back home." Ichigo tried to explain.

"We could give you a ride if you'd like." The one with the straight jacket motioned for the truck.

"And let you take him to the Loony bin, not likely." Rukia walked up beside Ichigo nudging him to move away.

"That won't be necessary. I'll just be on my way." Ichigo waved walking away from the scene and the crowd parted giving him plenty of room to move past.

"Good-bye." Ichigo waved bye and turned a corner when he sprinted down the block before anyone could follow him.

"I tried to calm you down." Rukia appeared beside him in a flash earning yet another glare from the orange haired boy. However, the most recent incident forced him to hold his tongue.

"Hey, you're learning." Rukia smirked up at him enjoying his stunned silence. "Since you're not yelling at me in front of another crowd it shows you have learned to keep your temper in check." Ichigo glared down at her but kept his silence with the other people walking around. Oh, how he wanted to yell at her but he didn't want another visit from those nice men in white coats, as Rukia put it.

"You really should do something to relax. Might I suggest a crossword puzzle, or a jigsaw puzzle perhaps, or you could read a book. Reading has always helped calm me down. My favorite story is the one about the little cinder girl. Although it was not very nice how her sisters treated her but in the end she gets to marry the prince. I wonder who that story is based on." Rukia chattered on keeping pace with Ichigo's quickened pace. He ignored her prattling but it was becoming increasingly difficult.

"The story of Cinderella is just a story someone made up a long time ago." Ichigo complained coming up to a shady bookstore.

"But, it was in a book and there are very important things found in books-"

"A BOOK!" Ichigo cut Rukia off when a wonderful idea struck him, and just as they were passing the store that would most likely have the item he needed.

"What about a book?" Rukia looked around when Ichigo ran into the store.

"Ichigo? Where did you go?" Rukia looked around surprised that she had lost him.

"How did I lose him when his spiritual energy is nearly as strong as Captain Zaraki?" Rukia pondered walking down the street in search of her charge.

Ichigo was so preoccupied with his current "break Toushiro up with my sister" plan he didn't pause to think of the consequences.

...…

"Do you really have to go, Toushiro?" Karin asked almost complaining as they stood in Urahara's living room.

"Yes, Karin, I have to go." Toushiro answered smiling over to her.

"I have paperwork to do and I'm sure Rangiku hasn't done any of the work in the office. If I don't get back soon, then I will be swimming in paperwork before I know it." Toushiro answered drawing a chuckle from Karin.

"Yeah, it's not as if you're already surrounded by stacks of work that's taller than you." Karin chuckled at this statement and Toushiro glared. He hated for people to point out his lack of height, even his girlfriend.

"Karin," Toushiro growled in irritation.

"Yes Toushiro?" Karin asked in complete, fake, innocence.

"You know how I hate for anyone to bring up my height, even you."

"Oh come on, you're still a kid. I'm sure you'll grow into your attitude with time." Karin smirked at him to his annoyance.

'_Okay, why do I come down here again?'_ Toushiro grumbled in his mind. Karin suddenly stepped up to him and kissed him quickly on the lips just as the Senkai gates were opening.

'_Right, that's why.'_ Toushiro's mood brightened and he got over his annoyances. Karin knew how to control Toushiro's moods, and he didn't even know why.

"See you later, Toushiro." Karin waved to him before he ran into the gate followed by a hell butterfly.

"You certainly enjoy playing with Captain Hitsugaya's feelings, don't you Karin?" Urahara pointed out to Karin.

"It's not that I enjoy it, but he's a lot easier to be around when he's not complaining about his height. I find it much safer for everyone if his mood brightens just before he leaves." Karin happily explained. She turned toward the front door as she began heading for her house.

"Bye, Kisuke." Karin headed toward the front door then she called out, "let me know when Toushiro comes by again." Karin walked through the doors without hearing Urahara's reply.

"Will do, Karin," Kisuke waved to the closing door with his fan. "I certainly will tell you when the little captain comes to call." Urahara whispered to the empty room.

...…

Ichigo burst through the doors of his house with the book he had purchased at that store. He couldn't remember the name of the shop, but the surprise at his purchase played through his mind.

"'_Worlds of Azarath'," Ichigo read the title of a black book with blood red bindings. The letters appeared to be an ancient cursive written in black along the cover. He also noticed the cover seemed to have a gold gate with a haze of red flowing through the bars, it was within this haze the title had been emblazoned._

"_This looks like an interesting book," Ichigo opened the cover ignoring the small gust of wind and slight flicker of lights at that exact moment. He chalked the atmosphere to bad lighting within the dimly lit store._

'_Let's see what we've got,' Ichigo skimmed the table of contents: Introduction (_skip that_), Various Worlds (_looks promising_), Spells (_here we go_). Ichigo quickly flipped the book to the third chapter to be met with a warning. He ignored this as well (he doesn't like instructions). Flipping a few more pages, his eyes scanned over a title reading – banishing a foe or sending him away._

'_This is perfect.' Ichigo chuckled closing the book and walking up to the cash register._

"_Excuse me," he hailed a nearby clerk organizing returned books on a cart, "I'd like to buy this book." He placed the book on the counter. When the clerk looked at the book, he blinked in surprise and looked up to Ichigo in confusion._

"_Sir, are you sure you want to buy this book?" The clerk pointed to the front cover. He was able to read the letters as plain as day; little did he know that no one else in the store was able to make out the markings or determine the language it was written in._

"_Yes, please. Is there a problem?" Ichigo asked eyeing the clerk in confusion._

"_No, it's just that we haven't found anyone who can read this language."_

"_Are you sure? I can read it plain as day. The title is 'Worlds of Azarath.' How difficult is that?" Ichigo asked reading the title and looking back to the clerk. The clerk looked closer at the book, but he only saw lines resembling a mix of hieroglyphic and sanscrit, or some type of mix. Let's just say he couldn't read it and hadn't found a linguist who could decipher the text._

"_Well," the clerk still hesitated. They had received this book about three months ago from an online seller for a really good price, but they only saw the impossible text upon opening the box. The manager was upset but decided to put the book in circulation in the hopes that somebody who passed through the doors would be able to take the useless book off of his hands. Sadly, that hadn't happened until now. The manager had made it very clear: sell that book as soon as possible, no matter what._

"_Okay, sir," the clerk typed up the price, accepted the money and placed the book in a shopping bag. He watched Ichigo walk out of the store with small reservations tickling the edge of his mind._

'_Should I have done that?' The clerk watched Ichigo pass the window and continue down the street out of his sight. 'Well, it's too late now. At least, we finally got rid of that book.' The clerk thought putting the incident out of his mind, but still he couldn't get rid of that uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach._

Ichigo ran up to his room ignoring Yuzu as she cooked dinner in the kitchen. Throwing his door open, he bolted to his bed where he tossed his new purchase on the covers. The commotion awakened Kon from the closet, peeking around the doors he saw Ichigo grinning like a madman. Kon knew Ichigo only made that face when he was thinking of one person, or revenge on one person: Toushiro Hitsugaya.

'_This can't be good,'_ Kon thought in his mind staring at Ichigo throwing the book open on his desk and giggling over the words written on the pages. Kon hesitated from exiting the closet since he remembered Rukia's warning: _"You are a substitute soul and so he can become a soul reaper if he swallows your pill so you have to make sure you don't get out of that stuffed lion."_

'_Oh man, if Ichigo sees me then he'll use me to go after Toushiro again, especially since Rukia still has his soul reaper badge.'_ Kon contemplated this predicament when Ichigo suddenly stalked toward the closet. Kon ran to the back just as the door opened. He expected to be grabbed by the orange teen, but Ichigo ignored him, choosing instead to hunt through the top rack looking for an important item.

"HERE IT IS!" Kon nearly jumped out of the stuffed lion with Ichigo's shout of triumph. He blinked at the teen holding two white candles in his hand before the closet was submerged into darkness once again.

'_What is he up to?'_ Kon cracked the door open to monitor Ichigo's peculiar behavior.

Ichigo placed the two candles on the desk then pulled a picture out of Karin and one of Toushiro. You couldn't really call the latter a picture because Ichigo had crumpled it and stabbed at it so much, there was only a faded outline of a once beautiful portrait. He leaned one picture against a lit candle, and the other against the second lit candle.

"Okay, this is ready. Now," Ichigo flipped the book open searching for that spell he found at the book store, "here it is." He slammed his finger on the words of the page and carefully read the spell in his mind for a few minutes. He sat down on his chair only to jump up at the hard square currently occupying his desk. Ichigo grabbed the book and read the title: 'Cinderella.' He scoffed at the book flicking it onto his bed and thinking back to Rukia believing every word of that fairy tale.

"Gotta focus," Ichigo stated mentally reviewing the spell one more time.

"Now I'm ready," Ichigo stood from the chair and kept his eyes trained on the book. He took a deep breath and carefully recited the spell.

"A world in which these two separate is the place I seek. World of Azarath make thine choice. Azarath Metrion Zinthos." Ichigo recited the spell accurately and waited. He waited, and waited but nothing happened.

"Oh great, it was a dud. Looks like I wasted my money on this trash." Ichigo's spirit flared in anger before he grabbed the book to throw it away. However, a phenomenon he had not expected made him finally think this was not such a good idea. The book glowed in a white light before a beam shot through the ceiling into the sky. After the light disappeared, Ichigo slowly stepped back just as a hazy red smoke started to leak from the book. The haze traveled along the floor grabbing him at the ankle and began to pull him toward the book.

"ICHIGO WHAT DID YOU DO?" Kon yelled jumping from the closet. He grabbed the teen's hand desperately trying to stop Ichigo from being pulled into the book. However his efforts were futile, as the smoke took hold of him slowly dragging the pair into the binding. The red smoke only poured out faster and with more ferocity than before as it engulfed the room. The smoke poured out of the ceiling and through any holes it could find. Yuzu screamed when the smoke trapped her downstairs in the kitchen.

'_What did I just do?'_ Ichigo thought before he fell into darkness within the pages of the book.

...…

Karin was walking back toward her house when she saw red smoke billowing from her roof and spreading through the door and windows.

"YUZU! ICHIGO! DAD!" Karin screamed running to the house as she tried to save her family from what she perceived as a fire currently engulfing her house. The smoke engulfed her and she let out a blood curdling scream before she fell into darkness.

...…

"CAPTAIN HITSUGAYA!" Rin screamed bursting through the office door gasping for breath. Captain Hitsugaya and Lieutenant Matsumoto gaped at the young soul reaper who just tore down their door in his haste to reach them.

"What's going on here?" Captain Hitsugaya demanded as the twelvth division member gulped in large breaths of air.

"I just came from . . . surveillance," he gulped in a gasp of air, "Karakura . . . red smoke . . . came from Kurosaki clinic." Rin gasped out. Toushiro gasped and darted out of the office.

"Captain," Rangiku ran toward the door, "thank you for the message." She thanked the soul reaper who nodded then passed out on the floor. Rangiku darted out of the office and flash stepped to catch up with her captain. They came up to the Senkai gate where other Captains and various soul reapers were standing guard at the door.

"What's going on here?" Toushiro demanded of anyone who would listen.

"So, I see that you made it here," Shunsui nodded toward Toushiro without breaking eye contact with the door.

"Akon recorded the smoke in the city just a few moments ago. I sent Rin out to fetch you," Jushiro explained stepping up to the little captain.

"What about the Kurosakis?" Toushiro demanded to know. Jushiro looked sadly at the young boy then he closed his eyes slowly shaking his head.

"We don't know. Our instruments cannot penetrate through the smoke." Jushiro's report stunned Toushiro into silence. He transferred his gaze to the gate where he glared at the door in a rare state of fury.

"We have not detected their souls leaving the city, so it is very likely they are all still alive." Captain Kuchiki's words calmed Toushiro relieving some of the anger from his freezing spirit energy.

"Do you know what this red smoke is?" Captain Hitsugaya asked.

"We don't know if it's smoke at all. It resembles a fog more than smoke." Captain Kuchiki explained.

"How so?"

"The cloud travels over the ground. Smoke would climb toward the sky and would be dispersed by the wind. It appears the wind has no effect on this cloud, fog, or whatever this thing is." Captain Kuchiki calmly explained as he watched Captain Soi Fon walk up to the group. All the captains had felt Toushiro's spirit energy begin freezing the air. Now that he was calmer, the ice cloud slowly dispersed into the air.

"I want to know where Ichigo is." Kenpachi demanded stomping up to the other captains with Lieutenant Kusajishi riding atop his shoulder.

"We are unable to locate him." Captain Unohana explained to the blood thirsty captain.

"Let me down there, and I'll find him." Kenpachi chuckled, his eye twinkling in anticipation of a fight with the substitute soul reaper.

"I cannot allow any such act, Captain Zaraki." Head Captain Yamamoto demanded to the other captains."Until we know the nature of this substance, no soul reaper is allowed to return to the soul of the living." He stared at Toushiro Hitsugaya who clearly had other plans in his mind, like going down to find Karin and her family.

"Not one Soul Reaper." Yamamoto nearly yelled staring at Toushiro Hitsugaya.

"Head Captain Yamamoto, we have soul reapers in the world of the living. Someone needs to go check on them." Captain Hitsugaya tried to reason with the head captain.

"No," Toushiro blinked at the Head Captain's refusal, "I cannot risk any of that smoke or fog to enter soul society. I'm sorry, but we must wait." Head Captain Yamamoto turned from Captain Hitsugaya who continually glared at the head captain then over at the senkai gates. Captain Ukitake gently placed his hand on Toushiro's shoulder.

"I'm sure they'll be fine, Toushiro." Jushiro whispered. His heart went out to the young captain, especially with his love caught in the middle of this fog.

"I don't think blocking the gate will do any good, old man." Captain Kyoraku yelled out as he still watched the gates. He saw a few wisps of the red smoke leak through the edges and center of the door. More and more smoke began leaking through until the entire door was engulfed by the smoke. Toushiro glared and he pulled Hyourinmaru from his sheath preparing to attack this smoke, even if he didn't hit it, at least he would be doing something and wouldn't feel so helpless.

"Well, old man, do we attack?" Shunsui asked resting his hand on the swords at his belt. Head Captain Yamamoto watched more and more of the smoke enter soul society.

"It looks like the gates couldn't hold the smoke in anyway." Toushiro angrily stated but he patiently awaited orders. A peak of the smoke seemed to angle toward the group and move from side to side almost like it was looking for something.

"Do you see that?" Captain Soi Fon exclaimed as she pulled her sword from it's sheath.

"It appears to be searching for something." Captain Ukitake noted as the peak angled further into the courtyard.

"Or someone," Shunsui noted pulling his swords as he expected an attack. The smoke "looked" from side to side until it centered on one soul reaper. Shunsui looked from the peak of the smoke to the person, it was Toushiro Hitsugaya. The peak drew back then launched itself at Captain Hitsugaya.

"CAPTAIN!" Rangiku yelled just as Toushiro flash stepped out of the smoke's path. He appeared on a roof top and attacked the smoke.

"Reign over the frosted heavens, Hyourinmaru!" The ice dragon that emerged from the sword slammed into the smoke only to pass through it striking the ground. Toushiro gasped at the failed attack. He flash stepped again, to avoid another attack, he appeared on another roof top at the opposite end of the smoke.

"Growl, Heineko!" Rangiku sent her attack at the smoke, but as Toushiro discovered – the attack was useless since the smoke opened holes in "itself" to avoid any attacks.

"Scatter, Senzonbakura," Byakuya sent his attack in hopes that his sea of petals would damage the smoke. Surely, the smoke could not avoid all of the petals coming from all sides at once. Alas, the petals struck the smoke only to disappear in the fog.

"Watch out, this smoke eats attacks!" Shunsui explained jumping back as the smoke advanced on his position. Toushiro dodged another lunge from the mysterious fog, which for some reason or another wanted him very badly. While he was preoccupied with the smoke attacking him, Toushiro Hitsugaya failed to notice the smoke that waited behind him. Toushiro spotted more smoke behind him, but he was too late when the smoke wrapped against his ankle. His cry of pain drew every eye upon the small captain.

"CAPTAIN HITSUGAYA!" Rangiku ran over to him and tried to attack the smoke but she was engulfed by the smoke.

"Rangiku!" Toushiro called out but he started feeling light headed as the smoke crawled slowly up his leg consuming his waist and creeping up to his chest. Memories of Karin drifted through his mind, but as the smoke swallowed more and more of his body her picture became fainter until she was nothing more than a shadow then she disappeared altogether. The smoke fully engulfed Toushiro Hitsugaya to the horror of the other soul reapers.

"No," Shunsui exclaimed before the smoke collapsed engulfing the other captains who had been trapped inside the circle. The smoke hung on the ground where the Captains and Lieutenants of Sereitei once stood.

**Omake:**

***Ichigo is floating in a red haze of smoke.***

**Ichigo: I think I went a little too far this time.**

**Kon: Gee, YOU THINK ICHIGO! *Kon tries to kick but flips in the area, apparently lacking gravity.***

**Rukia: What are you guys doing here? *She swims over to them.***

**Ichigo: I don't know.**

**Kon: It's his fault. *Kon points to Ichigo who glares back.***

**Rukia: Excuse me, *she wears that calmly insane smile.* **

**Kon: Ichigo did this.**

**Rukia: I thought that's what you said. *Shoots over to Ichigo and proceeds to pound him as hard as she can in the zero gravity smoke.***

****On another continent far away from Japan:****

**Cloaked figure: Where is it?**

**Cowering figure: Um, where is what? *Sweat pouring from brow.***

**Cloaked figure: My book.**

**Cowering figure: Oh, that. *Coughs and shrinks away from her.* I don't know. *Long gulp in fear.* I sold it.**

***Silence***

**Cloaked figure: Who did you sell it to? *Dark shadow flowing from figure to tower over the cowering creature.***

**

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**

**A/N: Okay, this is a continuation of the Spin off to the Miscommunication Series: Insanity. I am going to make this story a type of parody. But to let you know: everyone is completely fine. I've been playing with this story in my mind for several months but I didn't know how to word it.**

**A/N2: Anyone care to take a guess as to who the cloaked and cowering figures are? Hint: not an anime series.**

**Let me know what you think.**


	2. Where are we?

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.**

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The soul reapers stared at the palace they were currently standing in.

"What just happened?" Rangiku asked the group. Everyone looked around at the hallway they found themselves.

"I have no idea, but we must find everybody." Captain Kyoraku responded looking around the elaborate hall in a palace.

"Where is Captain Hitsugaya?" Rangiku exclaimed looking around very worried for her captain.

"I don't know, but I'm getting worried too." Captain Kyoraku stated looking around the room. The last he remembers – they were standing in front of the gate and red smoke was pouring in, then it attacked them, it took Toushiro Hitsugaya first and engulfed the other Captains and Lieutenants as well.

"That red smoke grabbed Captain Hitsugaya first and swallowed him whole." Izuru exclaimed looking around the room as if expecting more smoke to pour out of the rooms and into the halls.

"What if he's hurt? OH NO! If anything happens to him then I'll be forced to do all of the paperwork for the division!" Rangiku screeched in the hallway hurting the ears of the group surrounding her.

"AAAHHHHHHHH!" A bloody scream echoed through the building scaring the soul reapers.

"That sounded like Soi Fon." Shunsui exclaimed running in the direction of the scream with Rangiku, Izuru, and Shuhei following close behind.

"SOI FON!" Shunsui burst through the closed room staring at Captain Soi Fon standing in front of a mirror in a powder pink floor length dress.

"What's wrong?" Shuuhei asked the frazzled captain.

"THIS!" She pointed at her clothing.

"It certainly is a beautiful dress." Shunsui complemented her earning a heeled shoe to implant into his forehead.

"IT'S PINK!"

"Yes," Izuru quietly stated.

"I DON'T WEAR DRESSES AND ESPECIALLY NOT PINK DRESSES!" She screamed again as she began ripping the offending dress off of her forgetting the men in the room. Looking up she glared at the group of men with daggers flying from her eyes.

"GET OUT!" Soi Fon's scream could be heard throughout the entire kingdom reaching as far as a cabin at the edge of the town.

"ICHIGO!" Rukia dashed through the little house looking for her prey, she found him staring into space in the living room.

"What is it?" Ichigo quietly asked shocked to be in this strange place.

"WHAT DID YOU DO?" Rukia leapt to him and tackled him into the ground and proceeded to beat him up.

"WHAT DID YOU DO!" Rukia growled picking him up from his shirt and glaring into his eyes.

"I don't know," Ichigo stuttered and stood up from the floor to try talking to her.

"Well, obviously you did something!" Rukia demanded allowing him to stand still clutching his shirt.

"Look I was reading this book and I kind of read one passage out loud. The next thing I know this red smoke pours out of the book and swallowed up my room and apparently my house."

"Red smoke?"

"Yes, red smoke, and I passed out after it swallowed me." Ichigo explained further looking around the little cabin.

"Ichigo," Rukia let him go allowing him to walk around the room. "What book were you reading?"

"It was a spell book."

"A spell book?"

"Yeah, the book was called 'Worlds of Azarath.' I read one of spells but nothing happened at first so I got angry and started to throw it out. That's when the red smoke came out of the book." Ichigo walked around noting there was no technology in sight and scratching his head at this mystery. Maybe he was dreaming and the smoke made him pass out?

"What spell did you read?" Rukia quietly asked looking around at a wooden table with a stone fireplace and a woven picture of Ichigo's mother on a wall.

"It was a spell to send Toushiro to a different world where he doesn't know my syster." Ichigo laughed as he looked around the little room.

"I guess it worked." Ichigo nervously chuckled looking around at his current predicament. He really didn't think this plan through at all.

"You guess it worked?" Rukia stared at the back of his head as he was looking into the kitchen.

"Yeah, I guess it did." Ichgio stated walking to the opposite side of the room looking up at the stairs and placing a foot on the bottom step to test the quality of the stairs.

"Ichigo," Rukia waited until he was looking her in the eye, "you sent us to a different world."

"Huh," Ichigo asked, apparently the smoke and the house hadn't made a connection yet.

"Ichigo, YOU SENT US TO A DIFFERENT WORLD!" Rukia yelled stomping up to the tall substitute soul reaper until she was just under his nose staring up at him.

"Are you sure?" Ichigo asked, still thinking he was dreaming this entire cottage. Rukia growled under her breath clenching her hands into tight fists with steam pouring from her ears with her temper growing.

"YOU IDIOT!" Rukia let her temper erupt with fists and kicks leaving a pained and bruised Ichigo twitching on the floor.

"Now, I am going to…" Rukia paused blinking at Ichigo then looking around the house.

"You and I are here…" Rukia stated and watched Ichigo painfully nod his head.

"Then who else is here?" She ran to the kitchen looking around, she didn't see anyone. Then she ran up the stairs, but still nobody was up there. She jumped over a whimpering Ichigo and dashed out of the cottage. Rukia looked around the cottage and her mouth dropped open at the scene before her. There was a long winding road leading down to a golden palace towering over the land. The land she was standing on was a farm with cows lowing in the field and a little girl singing as she skipped into the yard. It was Yuzu.

"Yuzu!" Rukia ran up to the girl as she held a bucket of milk in her hands. "I'm so glad to see you. It's a relief to know that Ichigo and I aren't the only ones here." She sighed but Yuzu simply blinked up at her then her smile lit her face up once again.

"Oh Rukia, you say the strangest things. This is only a dream. I guess I was so tired I fell asleep at the kitchen table. Well, I better go take this milk into the kitchen. I wouldn't want it to spill." Yuzu happily skipped to the kitchen and continued her singing.

'_She thinks this is a dream. It's probably for the best.'_ Rukia frowned at the yard. If Yuzu was here, then did that mean Karin was here as well?

"Heads up!" Karin yelled from a side of the yard just before a soccer ball struck Rukia on the side of her face.

"Sorry, Rukia," Karin ran up to the fallen soul reaper and carefully removed the soccer ball from her friend's face. "Are you okay?"

"I think so, Karin." Rukia blinked up to the other Kurosaki sibling. "I'm so glad that you're here too." Rukai smiled up confusing Karin.

"Okay, I guess I hit you a little too hard." Karin stood up and walked into the kitchen.

"Karin, you need to do your chores." Yuzu called out to her sister from the kitchen. Karin turned around and headed around the yard to do as requested.

...

"Okay, we found Captain Soi Fon. So, where are the others?" Captain Kyoraku massaged the dent that Soi Fon's heel left within his forehead.

"So, where is Captain Hitsugaya?" Rangiku complained to the small group.

"Don't worry, Rangiku, we'll find him." Izuru consoled his fellow Lieutenant.

"But how," Rangiku complained again.

"Maybe we should ask someone." Shuuhei suggested to the group.

"And who should we ask Hisagi?" Rangiku asked in irritation. "As far as I can tell, there is not another soul in this castle except for Captain Soi Fon and you three." Rangiku growled.

"Why not ask Captain Hitsugaya?" Shunsui asked; he was still a little dizzy from the concussion Soi Fon had just given him.

"Huh?" Rangiku grunted looking up the hall and who should be walking down it: Toushiro Hitsugaya . . . dressed in a blue and white prince's outfit complete with golden cuffs reading a book in his right hand.

"Captain Hitsugaya! I'm so glad to see you safe!" Rangiku ran toward him but was stopped with a frosty glare in her direction.

"Rangiku have you been drinking again? You know my father won't allow me to enter the army." Toushiro stated in his annoyed tone.

"What?" Shunsui asked, he rubbed his eyes and ears to make sure he was hearing correct.

"You too, Shunsui," Toushiro shook his head from side to side, "it will not do for the Captain of my father's guard and the nanny to be drunk again. If my father hears about his, he will put the two of you into the stocks. Although given your history, I'm surprised the two of you still work in this castle." Toushiro stated shocking the group of four into silence. He shrugged his shoulders at the gaping mouths and continued down the hall opening his book once again.

"Did what I hear just happen?" Shuuhei asked.

"I think so," Izuru gulped. A sort of choking sound came from Shuuhei as they mulled over Toushiro's speech, soon he couldn't hide it and burst out laughing.

"What's so funny, Shuuhei?" Izuru asked and all his friend could do was point at Rangiku.

"You're his . . . ha-ha-ha-ha . . . nanny . . ." Shuuhei gasped between bouts of laughter while Rangiku became even angrier. She felt in the middle of her back for her zanpaktou, but it was not there.

"Where's Haineko?" Rangiku gasped. Shuuhei immediately sobered and looked for his sword. As Rangiku realized, none of the soul reapers had their swords on their person.

"Let's go find Toushiro's father and ask what's going on." Shunsui demanded as the group stalked off in one direction. The group toured the same hall several times until they finally bumped into another servant – a soul reaper in the fourth division – and they were directed to a large throne room.

"Now, Toushiro, I know you don't like the idea but it's for the best." The group stopped just short of the door as they recognized a voice. Shunsui almost couldn't believe his ears. It wasn't possible for the father to be . . .

"Father, you know I hate the idea of marriage and especially of looking for a wife at my age." Toushiro complained to the older man.

"I know, you've said that but I assure you that you will enjoy this ball." The group crept to the doors and peeked through a crack and sure enough the father of Toushiro Hitsugaya was none other than Jushiro Ukitake.

"I doubt it, father. I'll be in the gardens if you need me." Toushiro disappeared through a door at the other end of the room. The group was frozen in shock until Jushiro called to him.

"You may enter," Jushiro called and the doors suddenly swung open. "I'm so glad to see that you're here Rangiku, and you too Shunsui. It's good to see you, Izuru, and Shuuhei. Are you doing well?" Jushiro calmly asked almost like it was any other day.

"I think so, but I really, really hope that I'm drunk right now." Rangiku stated to the group.

"Same here," Izuru and Shuuhei agreed at the same time.

"Sadly, I must say you are not dreaming. This is very real. I don't know how, but that red smoke transported us to this dimension." Jushiro answered motioning toward the courtroom.

"Who else is here?" Kyoraku was the first to ask.

"Everyone that disappeared in the smoke," Jushiro smiled to the group.

"That's a relief." Izuru answered.

"A relief? Are you kidding me!" Soi Fon stomped into the room wearing a ninja shirt and pant suit all in a lovely shade of pink. "Are you calling this a relief?" She motioned toward her clothes.

"Since we're all safe, Soi Fon, then yes it is a relief." Shunsui answered. Soi Fon ignored him and pointed a dangerous finger in Jushiro's direction.

"I want out of this hell hole right now, Ukitake!" She demanded to the older captain.

"I would love to assist you, Soi Fon, but I'm afraid we're stuck here until Captain Kurotsuchi can find a way to get us back." He frowned to the group.

"Then tell him to hurry up." Soi Fon growled low in her throat. The others unanimously agreed.

"Hey, did you say there was a ball tonight?" Shunsui asked his old friend.

"Yes, that's right." Jushiro nodded. The other soul reapers stared at Shunsui all curious as to his thoughts.

"And Toushiro is a prince. . ." Kyoraku drifted in his thoughts.

"Yes."

"This ball is for him to find a bride?"

"Yes, and he positively hates the idea as you've just witnessed." Jushiro sighed motioning toward the closed door. Rangiku thought Captain Ukitake was taking this "father" role just a little too seriously.

"This sounds familiar." Shunsui cupped his chin in his hand desperately trying to capture the thought that stays just out of arms reach.

"Now that you mention it," Rangiku put her index finger to her chin in deep thought. _'Prince . . . a ball . . . find a bride . . . gather ladies throughout the land. . . Got it!'_

"I've got it!" The other turned toward Rangiku. "I know where we are, I think. We are in the story Cinderella."

"What's Cinderella?" Soi Fon asked the lieutenant.

"It's a story about a little cinder girl who goes to a ball where she falls in love with the prince of the city. She has to leave the ball in a hurry, dropping her shoe on the way out and the only way for the prince to find her. In the end he finds her and they ride off into the sunset." Rangiku explains in a dreamy state.

"So, if Toushiro is the prince . . ." Jushiro started.

"Then who is Cinderella?" Shunsui asked and Rangiku answered with a smile lighting up her face.

"Who else? It's Karin, of course." Rangiku stated in triumph.

"So, we get Karin to this ball and make sure Toushiro falls in love with her then we get out of this hell?" Soi Fon asked irritation lacing her voice.

"That's the theory in any case." Kyoraku answered the grumpy captain.

"Let's get this over with." Soi Fon grudgingly exclaimed.

. . . . .

"Okay, it looks like your entire family is here, Ichigo." Rukia surmised to the bruised teen. Suddenly there was a knock at the door, Karin ran in to answer it. Hanataro stood in the door and handed a letter to Karin.

"This is an invitation to the prince's ball tonight." Hanataro shyly exclaimed with a slight bow.

"And who is this prince?" Ichigo grumbled.

"Toushiro Hitsugaya." Hanataro answered and immediately ran away from the little cottage, but no matter how far he ran he could still hear Ichigo.

"WHAT!" Ichigo yelled shaking the wood bracing in the ceiling.

"You heard him, Ichigo." Rukia smirked at the orange haired teen.

"Karin," Ichigo stomped to his little sister, "I forbid you to go to this dance." He shouted in her face, Karin calmly looked up at him a bored expression on her face.

"I don't want to go anyway." Karin's answer surprised the both of them.

"You don't," Ichigo asked in surprise, he blinked his eyes a couple of times.

"No, I don't."

"You sure," Rukia asked the young Kurosaki girl.

"I'm sure. Why would I want to be around a bunch of snobby girls drooling over some spoiled rich kid?" Karin griped handing the letter to Rukia.

"I'm going out to play soccer." Karin answered the two. Ichigo thanked the stars that his sister was a tomboy. The rest of that day, Ichigo was on cloud nine that he didn't have to worry about Toushiro hitting on his sister.

"We're leaving for the ball, Karin." Yuzu called out to her sister who was kicking her soccer ball in the back yard. "Are you sure you don't want to go?"

"I'm sure, Yuzu," Karin called into the cottage, "you go and have fun."

"Alright," Yuzu gathered a simple shawl over her shoulders and followed Rukia and Ichigo out to a waiting carriage drawn by two horses and driven by Yumichika with Ikkaku as the footman.

"What are the two of you doing?" Rukia pointed to the two.

"We don't know, but Captain Ukitake suggested we play along until Captain Kurotsuchi can find a way to get us out." Yumichika answered.

"Besides, there's nothing else to do." Ikkaku complained as he shut the door after the three piled into the covered carriage. Karin waited at the door as the carriage drove off. She closed the door and walked back out to the yard. She picked her soccer ball up and started juggling it with her feet.

"This is getting a little boring," Karin stated when she heard some rustling in the bushes nearby.

"Who's there?" Karin demanded holding her soccer ball with her foot. She was prepared to bean anyone if they were stupid enough to attack. The figure coughed in the bushes and Karin was able to make out a tall figure dressed in white, he looked to be about six feet tall, with teal green hair flowing along his back. The figure stepped from the shadow and Karin was able to get a good look at him: tall man with teal green hair with an x scar crossing his nose, he was wearing a white and gold samurai outfit and held a short, silver blade with a four pointed star at the very tip of the blade.

"Hello," Karin greeted the strange man and she relaxed her stance.

"How are you?" The man breathed in a deep breath and continued "my name is Hyourinmaru." He introduced with a bow. Karin recognized the name but couldn't place it.

"I'm good. My name is Karin. It's nice to meet you." Karin answered with a small bow of her own. Then the two looked at each other for a few minutes.

"So, what are you doing here?" She asked.

"I am here to see that you attend the ball tonight." Hyourinmaru stated.

"No thank you," Hyourinmaru nearly tripped over his still feet at her matter of fact answer.

"Excuse me?"

"I said I don't want to go. I'm not interested in wearing a frilly dress or walking around in shoes that make my feet bleed. So thank you, but no thank you." Karin answered. Hyourinmaru sighed, she hadn't changed one bit: still to the point and not one to beat around the bush.

"Wait, if you're here to help me get to a ball, then wouldn't that make you a fairy godmother?" Hyourinmaru blushed deep red and was thankful that Kazeshini was miles away. If anyone found out, the other zanpaktou would never let him live it down. It wouldn't matter how many he would freeze, or even how many would stay frozen. Oh well, on to business.

"Sort of," Hyourinmaru took his time in answering. "Now, you're going to this ball whether you like it or not." Hyourinmaru demanded.

"Oh yeah, and who's going to make me?" Karin glared up at him and set her soccer ball to kick him in the face. He had thoughtlessly awakened the famous Kurosaki anger.

"Well, I certainly can't make you, but I believe you would enjoy yourself if you did go." Hyourinmaru answered succeeding in easing her temper.

"I don't think I'll have a good time. I'll just be bored," Karin walked around kicking her soccer ball in a small circle.

'_How do I get this girl to that ball to meet Master Hitsugaya?'_ Hyourinmaru watched Karin bat the soccer ball around some more. _'What would Master Hitugaya do?'_ The answer flew past his leg when Karin kicked her ball a little too hard.

"Karin I know for a fact that prince Toushiro is a wonderful soccer player." Hyourinmaru gained her attention when she froze in her tracks looking up to him.

"Really?" Hyourinmaru nodded his head to confirm his statement.

"Who would have thought a prince would know how to play soccer." Karin mused tilting her head up then she smiled up to him.

"Alright, I'll go to this ball."

"Excellent, come on." Hyourinmaru started to lead her away when she pointed something out.

"Wait a minute, I don't know much about balls but even I know you can't show up to a ball in rags." Karin answered. Hyourinmaru looked over her outfit and as she pointed out she wore rags: a short kimono torn at the knee (most likely by sliding on the grass to score a goal) and another tear at her sleeve.

"That won't do at all," Hyourinmaru agreed looking between Karin and then to his "wand".

'_Master Hitsugaya, you better be grateful for what I do for you.'_ Hyourinmaru thought as he rose his wand and called his shikai release.

"Reign upon the frozen kingdoms," a blast of snow and ice swirled around Karin but Hyourinmaru glared at his wand since that was not the proper release. He heaved a sigh then looked toward Karin. Hyourinmaru blinked at her appearance. Karin was wearing a simple pale blue dress with a gold chain draped around the waist, the sleeves of the dress draped past her shoulders and the sliced pieces of fabric were dipped in silver. Looking down, he saw the hem of her dress also had a layer of silver just above the seam. He looked to her face and saw the left side of her hair was held back with a four point star hair comb. Hyourinmaru couldn't tell if she wore any make-up but she had crescent moon earrings nestled on the lobes of her ears. Karin inspected her outfit and had to smile. She liked the dress, but she was curious as to the shoes. Lifting her dress up she watched an ice slipper glint in the moon light.

"Ice slippers?" Karin asked looking up to Hyourinmaru.

"Yes," Hyourinmaru cleared his throat, "so that your feet won't hurt during the evening." Hyourinmaru watched her twirl around and had to shake his head still flabbergasted that his power could make such a beautiful dress.

'_She will certainly catch Master Hitsugaya's eye.'_ Hyourinmaru hid a small smile.

"Now how will I get to the castle?" Karin asked and noticed that Hyourinmaru held this far off look in his eye. She snapped her fingers to gain his attention.

"Yes," Hyourinmaru shook his head of the spell.

"How will I get to the castle? I certainly can't walk." Karin explained looking between her cottage and the Castle which was far enough, she didn't want to think about how long it would take. Besides, ice shoes or no ice shoes, her feet would be bleeding and sore if she walked like this.

"Let's see what I can do." Hyuorinmaru looked over his wand and walked a small distance away toward the side of the cottage facing the castle.

"Reign over the frosted lands," again a blast of ice and snow shot from the wand to collect and swirl around a portion of the yard. He growled at the wand since that wasn't the correct release either.

"What are we doing here?" Haineko asked sitting in the driver's seat of a silver white carriage with wheels in the shape of snowflakes she was wearing a powder blue dress suit. The silver carriage was pulled by two horses: one was red and the other was cream with a plume of feathers tied to his mane.

"Why am I a horse?" Ruriiro Kujako screamed and neighed.

"You sound like a horse too," Hozukimaru nickered beside his cream partner.

"You two stop that arguing. You just have to grin and bear it." Haineko ordered from the driver seat.

"Easy for you to say since you're the driver," Ruriiro Kujaku complained and snorted pawing the ground. He obviously hated the idea of being a horse, while Hozukimaru was more relaxed in this role.

"Come now, it will be over soon." Zangetsu answered from the back of the carriage as the footman.

"Karin, are you ready to go?" He stepped down and bowed low to her. Zangetu was wearing a silver blazer with black pants and his sunglasses, Karin thought this strange since it was so late at night.

"Yeah, I guess so." Karin answered. The other zanpaktou spirits smiled at her appearance and Haineko winked at Hyourinmaru giving her silent approval.

"This way, my lady," Zangetsu led her to the carriage and helped her up before he closed the door.

"And Karin, this spell will only last until midnight, so you must be back home by then." Hyourinmaru ordered as the carriage drove off.

She was the last to arrive at the ball, looking up to the golden doors Karin suddenly became shy and started backing away until Zangetsu came up beside her. He led her to the doors and opened them; then he walked her to the stairs where all of the attendants looked up, including Toushiro. She blushed and carefully walked down the stairs. Toushiro started toward her leaving all of the other young girls as he walked straight toward Karin. He met her at the bottom of the stairs and he bowed low.

"My name is Toushiro Hitsugaya. It is a pleasure to meet you," he took her hand and led her out to the dance floor. Karin was very nervous, she now only realized that she had never danced before in her whole life – another reason to be a tomboy.

"I've never really danced before," Karin shyly confessed and he smiled to her.

"It's okay, just follow me." Toushiro answered and they slowly danced around the room to a gentle music. The soul reapers around heaved a long sigh.

"They are such a cute couple." Rangiku giggled with a cup of sake in her right hand. Kyoraku was right beside her with another cup of sake in his left hand.

"Yep, looks like we'll be out of here in no time." Kyoraku stated in relief.

"What about Ichigo?" Izuru brought up one very important point. The group looked around and spotted a red faced Ichigo glaring at the pair dancing around the floor.

"I'll take care of it." Kyoraku stood up and walked away from the dance floor for a few minutes. He returned to his same spot. "It's been taken care of," Shunsui smiled to the group as they looked on in confusion.

"I can't believe she came here when I told her not to," Ichigo steamed with his arms crossed. Yuzu and Rukia were standing on either side of him. Both girls were ecstatic that Toushiro and Karin had found each other. Nobody noticed the pair of hands that grabbed Ichigo from behind and dragged him from the dance floor.

"Oh come on Ichigo, they're a cute couple," Rukia turned to him only to find he had disappeared. Rukia shrugged her shoulders he would show up soon enough.

Ichigo was dragged out into the courtyard where he saw a wide tree standing in the middle of the yard. However, it was only when Ichigo walked forward that he noticed it was not a tree at all but a man: Kenpachi Zaraki.

"Hello Ichigo," Kenpachi smiled down to him.

Karin was still dancing with Toushiro when she heard the clock ding. She looked up to a conveniently located clock which showed the time to be 11:55pm. The spell would wear off in five minutes.

"I have to go, I'm sorry." Karin excused herself as she turned and ran to the stairs. She ran up the stairs but tripped on the top losing one of her shoes in the process. Karin continued on outside where Zangetsu met her and she flew into the carriage as the clock struck midnight. She had reached her cottage and had stepped from the carriage just as the clock struck the final bell of midnight. Her dress fell into drops of snow and the carriage and everyone disappeared in a swirl of snow and ice.

"I had more fun than I thought," Karin smiled to the sky. "Thanks, Hyourinmaru." She walked into her house and looked at her feet – she had lost one slipper. She thought it strange that she never noticed it had been missing but it was much too late in the night to worry over it.

The next morning, Toushiro had the entire castle running around trying to find the girl he had danced with last night.

"Father, we need to search the entire kingdom." Toushiro begged his father who was all too happy to comply.

"Of course, Toushiro," Ukitake beamed to his "son", "I will see to it that every available servant is sent out to search the entire countryside. Do you have any name for the servants to seek the young maid?"

"I never thought to ask her name, all I have of last night is a slipper made of ice. I find it quite odd that it hasn't melted." Toushiro took the slipper out and turned it in his hand admiring the design.

'_That's because Hyourinmaru's ice will only melt when his master wills it.'_ Ukitake smiled and sent for his servants. Just as he promised, all the servants searched the entire countryside. Toushiro went with the last group consisting of Rangiku, Captain Kyoraku, Izuru and Shuuhei to the last cottage: Ichigo's home. Toushiro politely knocked on the door and was greeted by Ichigo with his arm taped up and in a sling with a band aid under his eye. Toushiro recovered from his shock and finally spoke to him.

"Excuse me I came to ask if you have any sisters or daughters that attended the ball last night." Toushiro politely requested.

"The only girls who attended are my sister Yuzu, and my friend Rukia. No one else attended." Ichigo rudely answered.

"May I ask what they look like?" Toushiro inquired of the girls' description.

"Yuzu has light brown hair, and Rukia has short black hair and violet eyes." Ichigo purposely ignored Karin because he **really** didn't want Toushiro getting near her.

"Thank you," Toushiro bowed when a soccer ball flew over Ichigo's head only for Toushiro to catch it in his hand.

"You have a sister who plays soccer?" Toushiro asked the beaten Ichigo.

"Yes Yuzu." Toushiro blinked at his answer looking down at the ball he had a small memory of a black haired girl kicking a soccer ball at the back of his head. He believed he kicked the ball with a back flip. Toushiro blinked again.

"Are you sure there are no other girls in this cottage?" Toushiro asked with a captain's tone ringing in his voice.

"I'm sure," Ichigo slammed the door on his face. This act also brought back another memory, this time there was a pasta dish before the slammed door and again a soccer ball popped up.

'_Who is that girl?'_

"I guess she's not here," Izuru sadly exclaimed. The men could swear they heard a small growl in the backyard before a black haired girl was nearly thrown into the front yard. She glared at the backyard then turned around to face the guests. She saw Toushiro and put on her bored expression. Karin still wasn't ready to introduce herself, especially since he was still a stranger.

"Were you at the ball last night?" Toushiro asked, this girl was far too familiar for him not to have met her.

"No, I wasn't," Karin answered only to hear deep voiced grumblings. The group could make the word stubborn from a nearby bush.

"What's that?" Rangiku asked for the group. Everyone shrugged their shoulders.

"Alright, I thank you for your time." Toushiro turned for the carriage until he felt a strong gust of ice cold wind. He turned around and stared at Karin in the dress she wore last night and holding a sign that read: "I danced with Toushiro Hitsugaya." Karin glared back to the bush and the bush only chuckled in pleasure.

"Hi, Toushiro," Karin looked back to him. He smiled at her once again, she blinked that his eyes seemed to soften when he smiled. For some reason, she liked it.

"Hi," Toushiro looked at her and a name popped into his head, "Karin." She blinked over at him in surprise.

"How did you know my name?" Karin asked. The soul reapers around her only smiled.

"I know more about you, like you love to play soccer and you hate to wear dresses because you're a tomboy." Toushiro stated looking at her amazing dress. He was curious as to how she got into the dress. Karin pointed behind her where a tall man wearing white and gold stepped from the bush.

"Master Hitsugaya, Karin is very stubborn." Hyourinmaru stated to Toushiro.

"Yeah, I know." He answered and he approached her.

"Toushiro," Karin blinked up at him and some memories broke through her foggy mind: a baby, pasta, Romeo and Juliet, then a kiss. She blushes a deep red and Toushiro blinked at her curious as to her blush.

"Can you cook spaghetti?" She asked to which Toushiro laughs and gently kisses her on the lips. Karin kissed him back and she remembered everything.

"I can't believe the only thing you remembered about me was the spaghetti." Toushiro complained to her.

"Well, I also remember the baby." Toushiro glared at her and she laughed at the memory.

"What's this about a baby?" Kyoraku asked breaking the two up. Toushiro Hitsugaya growled and he glared up at the taller soul reaper captain.

"Please don't mention that horrid assignment ever again." Toushiro requested slightly blushing.

"Congratulations the prince and Cinderella are matched up, now how do we get out of this hell pit?" Captain Soi Fon appeared before the group and Toushiro blinked at her appearance.

"One word Hitsugaya and I swear to wipe you out of existence." Soi Fon threatened and Toushiro instantly shut his mouth and encouraged Karin to do the same.

"Speaking of clothes, Hyourinmaru, can you please give me my old clothes back?" Karin asked lifting an edge of her dress up.

"Just keep that dress in a safe place, Hyourinmaru. It looks amazing on Karin." Toushiro flirted winking at his zanpaktou. Karin elbowed him in the stomach.

"You'll not see me wear this dress ever again." Karin answered as Hyourinmaru changed her clothes to the regular shirt, shorts and sneakers. Ichigo suddenly decided to make his appearance.

"NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, the two of you will not be together!" Ichigo screeched running out to the front yard where everyone seemed to gather. All of the soul reapers that had been captured in Seretiei along with the Zanpaktou spirits and Kon appeared on Ichigo's head.

"Are we out yet?" Kon asked the group.

"What are you talking about Kon?" Toushiro asked the little stuffed lion.

"I'll tell you, Captain Hitsugaya," Rukia interrupted shoving Ichigo to the side. "Ichigo here did some spell to transport all of us into a different world through a spell book. According to Ichigo a red smoke spilled from the book and swallowed his house." Rukia explained.

"And all of us in Soul Society," Toushiro answered remembering the feeling of the smoke grabbing his ankle and the memories of Karin disappearing. He gently held her hand to reassure him that she was here and not his imagination.

"Ichigo that was a stupid think you did." Rangiku chastised the young man.

"Now tell us what spell you used and maybe that will get us out of here." Ukitake demanded as Kurotsuchi finally joined the group.

"Wait a minute," Toushiro looked up to Captain Ukitake.

"Yes, Toushiro," Captain Ukitake kindly looked down to the young soul reaper.

"If Ichigo says the spell again, won't that just send us to a different world?" Toushiro asked and the blood drained out of every person's face in the group.

"It was: A world in which these two separate is the place I seek. World of Azarath make thine choice. Azarath Metrion Zinthos." Ichigo repeated the spell before anyone could stop him. The red smoke engulfed everyone once again, and the group disappeared.

**Omake:**

***Soul reaper captains glare at Ichigo.***

**Kuchiki: Ichigo, how could you do this, again?**

**Soi Fon: How could you be so stupid? *Still in pink outfit, so especially angry.* YOU PUT ME IN A PINK DRESS!**

***Lunges for Ichigo but are in zero gravity so instead runs into Kenpachi Zaraki.***

**Kenpachi: This would be a good place for a fight.**

**Kuchiki: Kenpachi I have decided you may fight Ichigo, and it doesn't matter how badly he is injured.**

***Ichigo stares in horror as Kenpachi approach along with Soi Fon.***

**Ichigo: Wait, how is this fair?**

**Toushiro: You brought this on yourself. *Swims away with Karin and they both watch as the fight begins.***

***Dust up as feet, arms and legs go kicking out of the dust. Punches and groans are heard from painful blows. Ichigo floats down covering his eyes and see Soi Fon and Kenpachi were fighting each other. Now both are passed out.***

**Toushiro: How did that happen?**

**Karin: Dumb luck.**

***Ichigo glares at the two and remains curled up in a ball.***

***On another continent far away from Japan:***

***Cowering figure nursing bump growing on head.***

**Cloaked figure: Do not ever go into my room again.**

**Cowering figure with a bump: Okay.**

**Cloaked figure: You will find my book.**

**Cowering figure with bump: But that could take weeks or months, if I find it at all.**

**Cloaked figure: Then you better get started. And, don't come back without my book.**

***Cloaked figure disappears in a shadow.***

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**A/N: Okay, here is another chapter. Like I said I've had this story playing out in my head for quite a few weeks. Let me know what you think of this story. **

**A/N2: I'll tell who the figures are in the next chapter if no one guesses it.**


	3. Here we go again, part 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.**

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Orihime was walking down toward the market when a strange red fog came rolling down the street. It was dense and was moving rather slow. As it grew closer to her, Orihime could see it was denser than any fog should be.

"What's this?" Orihime gasped when it swept over her dropping her into a palace where other people were gathered.

"Where am I?" She looked around but didn't see anyone she recognized. _'I don't think this is good.'_

…...

Rangiku and the other soul reapers found themselves in another palace, but this time it was a ballroom. The ballroom was decorated for a party but at the base of a platform was a small bassinet then just beyond sat, what she assumed, to be the king and queen. Rangiku blinked a few times and rubbed her eyes at the people: Isshin Kurosaki and Orihime Inoue.

"What are the two of you doing here?" Rangiku asked running up to the pair on the thrones. Isshin was dressed in royal robes with a golden crown balanced on his head. Orihime was dressed in a lovely dark red dress with a similar golden crown on her own head.

"I don't really know." Isshin answered looking around the room. "I was leaving the hospital and I walked into this red fog." Orhime gasped at his answer.

"That's what happened to me! But, I was walking to the market. The weathermen should have reported a fog rolling in during the morning news report." Orihime kindly replied. Isshin and Rangiku blinked at the young girl who obviously didn't know what was going on.

"Can someone please tell me why I am dressed like a king?" Isshin pointed to his crown and then he smiled, "even though I am very much enjoying this attire. I would like to get home and see my little girls and foolish son."

"Funny you should mention him," Rangiku darkly answered but she was interrupted by a messenger.

"Madam, I insist you distance yourself from the king." A man in uniform grabbed her arm and forced her off the platform. Rangiku turned to give him the sharp side of her tongue only to gape at the messenger: Renji Abarai.

"Renji, what are you doing?" Rangiku demanded as he let her arm go in the crowd of guests.

"I haven't the slightest clue, Rangiku." Renji looked around the room, his tattoos were clashing with his uniform and Rangiku was tempted to either demand a wardrobe change or wash those tattoos off of his skin.

"It appears that Ichigo has done it again," Ukitake walked up to the pair calming any argument that would have started.

"Captain Ukitake, what are you doing here?" Renji asked pointing up to the elderly soul reaper who was, also, dressed in royal robes with a small silver crown on his head.

"The other captains and lieutenants were transported here by that red smoke or fog that broke into soul society." Ukitake answered looking around the room, pleased that most everyone was here as well as a few newcomers.

"It came to Soul Society." Renji gasped up to the taller captain. Ukitake nodded his head. "It also appears to have grown, since there were not this many gathered in the previous world we had fallen into." Renji stared at the soul reaper with question marks dancing above his head.

"We'll explain later, Renji." Rangiku stated then she started looking around the room. She looked in between circles of guests (mostly talking of their transportation and confusion in this location) and behind every table, chair and drape.

"Who are you looking for, Rangiku?" Renji asked when she passed by the pair once again.

"My Captain," Rangiku looked under a table hoping to find him around, "he was the first one to be taken by the smoke and Ichigo . . ."

"Hear ye, hear ye," a voice broke above the chattering guests as everyone looked up to a man holding a scroll in his hand with his glasses glinting against the torches.

"We are gathered here to honor the birth of the only child to the king and queen," Uryu Ishida called out to the group.

"Wait a minute!" Isshin stood up in protest pointing to Orihime. "There is no way I'm married to Orihime. Not that you're ugly but I'm a bit too old and I have three dearest children, you know them all . . ." Isshin blubbered, bowing to Orihime to apologize for any insult.

"That's alright Mr. Kurosaki. I don't mind, but I am confused myself." Orihime explained.

"Yes, aren't we all?" Uryu stated in agreement rolling up his parchment to tuck it under his arm. "I may be able to shed some light on this confusing tale."

"Oh, come on," a little girl cried in the hall. Everyone looked but saw no one standing in the hall.

"I don't see anyone there." Renji answered peeking around the door looking up and down. Then another giggle reached his ears. Spinning around in the doorframe he glared all around. Until he felt a little tap on the top of his head, he looked up and tripped over his feet to land on his bottom to the amusement of all gathered. Poor Renji was too shocked to pay attention to their laughing.

"Lieutenant Kusajishi!" Renji stared up at a miniature Yachiru flying on the ceiling with her little wings flitting in the air keeping her in flight.

"Hi there Bandana head. I didn't know you would be here." Yachiru happily chirped. Her voice sounded squeakier due to her being half her size wearing a pink dress and a small handkerchief tied around a ponytail.

"Yachiru, wait up!" Another squeaky voice sounded, this one belonging to Yuzu Kurosaki.

"Renji, what are you doing on the floor?" She flitted down to him in a green dress similar to Yachiru but she was wearing a small head dress with silk flowing down her back, the ends of which drifted in the wind as her wings fluttered as she hovered in the air.

"They're fairies?" Renji questioned looking between Yachiru to Yuzu and back again. Slowly he rose from the floor but he kept on blinking at the smaller girls.

"I thought there were supposed to be three of you." Uryu pointed to the two flitting in the air. Yachiru burst out laughing doing a somersault in the air from her cheer.

"The third doesn't want to come out because she's embarrassed." Yuzu squeaked up to Uryu, the gusts from her little wings tickled his nose.

"AAHH-CHOO!" Uryu sudden sneeze flung poor Yuzu into Yachiru and they both landed on the floor in two painful heaps.

"I apologize, Yuzu." Uryu deeply apologized to the little fairy and she looked up to him with a small grin plastered on her face.

"I know it was an accident, Uryu." She restarted her wings and flew away from Yachiru giving the smallest girl a chance to get up.

"I don't believe we can continue without the third fairy." Uryu pulled a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe his nose from the sneeze.

"I'll go get her." Yachiru cheered and zoomed out into the hall. The room heard some squeaky calls, one higher than the other.

"Come on, it's going to be fun." Yachiru called from the hall but she was kicked into the room landing in the middle of the floor at Ukitake's feet.

"Are you alright, Yachiru?" Ukitake kindly asked the little fairy.

"Yeah, I'm alright. I'll go bring her in now." Yachiru stated and dashed back into the hall where she kicked a little blue fairy into the room. The fairy slammed into Renji's chest with a squeaky grunt. The fairy jumped from his chest and fluttered her wings furiously in the air.

"Uh," Renji pointed to the extremely ticked off, enraged, furious, volcanic, blue fairy: Captain Soi Fon.

"Captain Soi Fon?" Rangiku blinked over to the blue fairy that was slightly taller than Yachiru but with an even squeakier voice. She wore a blue gown with blue cup horns on her head and a blue silver scarf connecting the two.

"I will kill anyone who dares to so much as chuckle or point out my appearance." Soi Fon threatened. However the squeaky voice took away from her threat making it even harder for everyone not to laugh.

"What's that?" A little voice asked from Ukitake's feet. Rangiku blinked, and praying that she was wrong, she looked down at a miniature Toushiro Hitsugaya.

"By the heavens, I hope his memory is wiped after this." Rangiku mumbled as she stared down to the little boy.

"Grandpa, who is she?" Toushiro asked pointing up to Rangiku.

"Toushiro, this is Rangiku Matsumoto. Rangiku this is Toushiro." Jushiro introduced each other.

"Are you sure that's Captain Hitsugaya?" Renji whispered into Rangiku's ear and she nearly slapped him. The little boy had Toushiro's snow hair, not as pointy as before, but the same teal eyes stared up at the two adults.

"Yes, I'm sure. Only Captain Hitsugaya has that stare." Rangiku answered.

"Toushiro, you're so small!" The soul reapers nearly had a heart attack when the voice of Yurouichi Shihoin invaded the group.

"I AM NOT!" Little Toushiro protested straightening his back so he stood his full 34 inches and his little chest poked out. Orihime could not stop herself when she jumped from the throne and grabbed Toushrio in a full hug.

"Oh my you are so cute!" Orihime hugged Toushiro, unable to hold her "cute" senses in check. She pinched his cheek and Toushiro did not like the feeling so he kicked out of her hold to land on the floor and dash behind Ukitake's feet.

"Orihime, please come back here." Isshin kindly requested of the girl. He knew Toushiro Hitsugaya hated to be reminded of his short stature but he despised, with a passion, being described as cute the way one describes an infant.

"Okay, Mr. Kurosaki." Orihime complied. She hopped onto the throne now that her "cute" senses had been satisfied.

"Why am I here again?" Toushiro asked glaring up at Orihime. '_Even if she is a queen, that didn't give her any right to pinch my cheek,'_ little Toushiro rubbed the cheek she pinched leaving a little red spot.

"Toushiro, I already explained it to you. We are here to pay respects to the new baby princess born to King Isshin and Queen Orihime." Ukitake motioned toward the platform where the royals sat.

"Baby," Isshin bolted over to the bassinet and there laid his baby girl, Karin, sucking on her thumb as she slept among the ruckus.

"Oh, it's my Karin." Isshin clasped his hands together with stars shining in his eyes with joy and love for his little girl.

"Ahem," Uryu loudly cleared his throat to gain everyone's attention. "Now that everyone is caught up, I believe these exquisite fairies have gifts to bestow upon the child.

"We do?" Yachiru fluttered in the air with her finger touching her bottom lip.

"Yes, you do. Now come on, the sooner you get this over with the sooner we get out of here." Uryu explained waving his hand toward the fairies.

"I'll go first," Soi Fon squeaked fluttering over to the bassinet. Soi Fon was now 18 inches tall, and by far the tallest of the three fairies, however she wanted to run and hide as soon as possible.

"I give you the gift of . . ." Soi Fon looked up to the ceiling thinking of a gift she could give, "athletics. You shall be the greatest sports princess in all the land." Soi Fon found a wand in her hand and gripped the pathetic twig in her hand before she sprinkled some blue dust over the child. "There, I'm gone." Soi Fon darted from the hall so fast she was only a blur to the guests.

"Okay, so I guess it's my turn." Yachiru flitted up to the little bed peering at the dark haired baby. Yachiru was 12 inches tall being the smallest of the fairies, and not minding one bit (after all she's always been the tiniest no matter where she was).

"Um," Yachiru looked around the room for some idea, "I give you the gift of . . . fighting. You shall be the toughest princess in all the land." Yachiru laughed, sprinkling her pink dust on the baby.

"Yachiru, I don't think fighting is a skill useful to a princess." Uryu quietly stated leaning over to the smallest fairy.

"Oh well, she'll have fun anyway." Yachiru giggled flying off to sit on a suit of armor – the next best thing to Kenpachi's shoulder.

"Oh, I'm the last one to give the gift." Yuzu flew up to the bed and took in a breath of air when the room filled with swirling smoke.

"NOT SO FAST!" Ichigo screamed from the green smoke. The soul reapers and Uryu glared into the smoke, all resenting their current position due to one overly protective brother, in desperate need of medication of some type.

"Ichigo," Uryu growled to the tall young man who was somewhat his friend.

"Uryu, you're here too?" Ichigo blinked at his friend then glared at little Toushiro who only glared back even icier than the substitute soul reaper's.

"Ichigo," a little bird flapped to land on his head, the bird proceeded to peck at his head. It was a shame the helmet he wore hurt the bird more than him.

"Rukia," Ichigo glanced up to the bird on his head before he looked about the room. Looking back to Toushiro, he pointed his long green staff to the little boy.

"You will not go anywhere near the little princess!" He bellowed. As the smoke cleared from the room, the group could see he wore a silver helmet with a large green feather sticking up from the back and he wore a long green wizard's robe speckled with phases of the moon.

"Who said I wanted to?" Little Toushiro yelled up to the tall man. For some reason he couldn't figure out, this man made him very angry.

"You may not want to now, but you will later on and I will make sure that doesn't happen." Ichigo madly grinned to the little boy with his crazy laugh filling the silent ballroom.

"I have a gift for the child as well," Ichigo raised his staff showing the green clouds swirling within a green globe.

"She shall fall into a deep sleep never to awaken when she . . ." Ichigo lowered his staff a bit as he became stumped on the punishment.

"You don't know!" Rukia screeched from the top of his head, she sat as a large raven with her violet eyes and ebony hair framing her bird face.

"Give me a minute," Ichigo tapped his finger to his chin in deep thought.

"Ichigo, why do you never think before you act?" Rukia butted into his musings and pecked on his helmet some more.

"I GOT IT!" Ichigo grinned madly looking from Toushiro to the little cradle, "immediately after she kicks a soccer ball, she will fall into a deep sleep never to awaken!" Ichigo declared laughing madly as he pounded his staff to disappear in another whirl of green smoke.

"He does realize that he just banished his sister into a coma for the rest of her life, right?" Renji pointed to where Ichigo used to stand.

"You know, I don't think he does realize it." Rangiku blinked at the spot before she looked back to the cradle.

"Oh no, my dear Karin," Isshin fell to his knees in tears (overacting as usual). "You shall sleep for the rest of your days, never to go on a date, never to find a young man . . ." Isshin paused blinking as a thought hit him. "You know, this may not be so bad after all. Maybe she can stay this way?"

"ISSHIN! HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT ABOUT YOUR DAUGHTER?" Orihime started to tear up believing this entire scene was real.

"Don't worry, my King and Queen," Yuzu fluttered up to the couple with a smile on her gentle face. "I haven't presented my gift and I can help." Yuzu answered, she was a medium 15 inches tall as a fairy but she still had the golden heart of a giant.

"You can?" Orihime dried her tears clasping her hands in front of her with joy. "Really?" Yuzu smiled nodding her small head. She fluttered over to the bassinet and pulled her wand from behind her back.

"Sweet baby Karin, when you do fall into a deep sleep," -because you know it will happen – "you shall awaken with love's first kiss." Yuzu happily dusted her green dust over the small child before she turned back to the king and queen.

"Okay, I'll see you in a few years." Yuzu answered with a small wave disappearing into the hall with Yachiru on her heels.

Everyone in the ballroom blinked their eyes, as the world became swirls and they all were flashed many years into the future when Karin was 11 and Toushiro 14 (the way he looks as a soul reaper).

"TOUSHIRO!" Renji called out for the little prince while he was out riding his horse named Kon. The yellow horse had a brown mane and tail, and he also had this uncanny ability to talk.

"I think we should be heading back now, Toushiro." Kon stated to the prince riding on his back. Toushiro gripped the reins in his hands leading Kon around the woods.

"Not now Kon," Toushiro glanced back toward Renji with an annoyed sigh, "they only want me to go visit the castle of King Isshin and Queen Orihime."

"Why don't you want to go?" Kon asked to which Toushiro glared down to the horse ordering him to be silent.

"She," Toushiro blushed slightly, "doesn't know how a princess should act."

"Why do you say that?" Kon asked the prince.

"Let's see, she's rough, she is stubborn, she does not listen, she makes me fall, and I trip over my own two feet when I'm around her. She doesn't have the slightest respect for me as being older than her." Toushiro answered

"By three years," Kon stated earning a cold glare and kick in the sides for that comment. "Well it's true!"

"Doesn't matter," Toushiro answered pushing Kon harder into the forest.

In the meantime, Karin was running from the castle through the woods. She enjoyed these runs more than she let on. Her father begged her to use a horse but she grew bored of horse riding, and it didn't help that she couldn't keep her balance. So here she was, running through the woods only stopping when she came to a meadow. She would kill anyone who found out her secret: she liked the flowers and dreamed of runing away with a prince. But those facts would ruin her tomboy reputation, and she did a lot to keep up her reputation.

Toushiro was pushing Kon closer to the meadow where Karin was spinning in a small circle. She jumped in surprise when Kon crashed through the woods stopping so suddenly, Toushiro flipped out of the saddle. However, he landed square on his feet due to his surprising agility.

"Well hello there Princess Karin." Kon bowed the best he could as a horse, and nudged Toushiro for him to show her respect.

"Hello princess Karin," Toushiro looked over to her and the dirt on her face and hands. "What brings you out to this meadow, alone?" Toushiro disapproved with his glare down to her appearance.

"I just came out for a calming run. The castle is far too cramped to enjoy the day." Karin answered gesturing to the field.

"Running into the woods without your guard is dangerous and stupid." Toushiro snapped to her but she smiled up to him with a competitive look in her eye.

"Well, I am the best fighter for my age group and I can take anyone down if they mess with me." Karin snapped her fingers in his face just to annoy him.

"KARIN! PRINCESS KARIN!" She heard Renji calling her name and she hid behind Toushiro.

"Toushiro, will you please help me?" He looked down to her in puzzlement. "I don't want to go back to the castle, they'll make me sit in a chair and do my lessons. It's so boring." Karin complained to him. Toushiro had to agree that it sounded very boring, but the guard knew she would be safer in the walls . . . especially with that spell on her. Toushiro knew that she didn't know because she was too small to remember and nobody told her about it.

"Sure," Toushiro stated surprising both Karin and Kon. "Come on," Toushiro helped her up and slid in front of her, grabbing the reigns he urged Kon into the woods again.

"Thanks Toushiro," Karin stated watching his hair float in the small breeze. Being a tomboy and 11 years old, she wasn't supposed to like any boy but somehow she liked him and she hated it.

"You're welcome Karin," Toushiro answered. He secretly took her back home dropping her off just inside the gardens, where she couldn't tell which castle she walked in. He quietly left the gate and waited for Rangiku to find her.

"THERE YOU ARE!" Karin spun around then glared back to the wall where Toushiro had dropped her off. Oh, he would so pay for this. He returned to his castle not bothered that he had tricked her, and she was grounded for the next few weeks.

Karin was walking around in the courtyard, still grounded, but minding her own business and very bored, as usual. Then the unusual occurred when she saw a black and white object bouncing in front of her. It came to rest at her feet and a pale boy with black eyes and white hair came running up to her.

"Hey you wanna play?" His voice sounded dark but Karin was too focused on the soccer ball. She was drawn to it and she wanted to play so badly her body started to twitch as muscle memory began taking over.

"How do you play?" Karin asked walking up to the boy and gently touching the ball.

"Come with me, and I'll show you." The little boy ran off and Karin followed on his heels.

"Hey, what's your name?" Karin asked when he stopped just outside of the castle gates.

"My name is Hichigo." The little boy introduced himself and dropped the ball. "This game is called soccer." Hichigo watched her eyes light up in joy.

"The way you play is you kick the ball around." Hichigo demonstrated with a small kick over to Karin. It was then that Rangiku walked out of the gates and gasped at the scene.

"KARIN!" Rangiku yelled but Karin was far too focused and kicked the ball sending it flying into the forest. She grinned at the ball then she felt light headed, placing a hand on her head she collapsed into a heap falling into a deep sleep.

"No, please wake up." Rangiku shook the girl but the spell had taken over.

"Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha." Maniacal laughter came from Hichigo as green smoke encircled him and he grew to be Ichigo in green wizard garb, staff and all.

"I told you, she won't wake up ever again." Ichigo glared over at Rangiku, "and to make sure she never gets to know Toushiro I'm going to take her away where no one can bother her." Ichigo stepped up to Karin and threw Rangiku to the side as he tapped his staff and the two disappeared in a swirl of green smoke.

"NO!" Rangiku screamed to the sky and Toushiro came running to her side.

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**A/N: This is a two part story. The second part may not be as funny as the first because the second has a fighting scene. Let me know what you think of this chapter. And if anyone hasn't guessed: the figures in the omakes are - cloaked figure = Raven and cowering figure = Beast Boy from Teen Titans. I don't own this show either, I am just borrowing them to be put into this story.  
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**So, let me know what you think and I'll be getting part two out in the next day or so.  
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	4. Here we go again, part 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.**

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"Rangiku, what happened?" Toushiro demanded at the strawberry blonde crying into her hands.

"Karin," Rangiku gulped a sob back, "she kicked a soccer ball and Ichigo took her away." She continued sobbing into her hands. Toushiro looked down to his friend then back up to a dark green castle at the base of a dormant volcano and balling up his fists in anger.

"Tell the King and Queen, I'll go and get Karin back." Toushiro explained and ran over to Kon. He vaulted onto the horse before Rangiku could get over her shock.

"Okay," Rangiku stated as he disappeared into the woods.

Toushiro pushed Kon harder when he came out of the woods onto a stretch of desert with a mighty canyon separating him from the castle.

...

Ichigo tucked Karin into a bed in the tallest tower in his castle and he smiled down to her.

'_Nobody will ever take you away from me again.'_ Ichigo giggled darkly, but a commotion outside of his castle drew him to the window. Toushiro was coming on horseback straight to his castle.

"WHAT!" Ichigo screamed, he locked the door to her room and sprinted down the stairs.

"Guards," several soul reapers with armor plating of horns and skulls appeared in front of him.

"I want you to go out and dispose of Toushiro. I don't want him getting anywhere near me or my sister." Ichigo demanded and the group disappeared in flash step appearing in front of horse and rider.

"WHOA!" Kon screamed pulling up to sit on the dirt. He looked up and recognized the soldiers to be Ikkaku, Kenpachi, Shuuhei, Kyoraku, Kuchiki and many more soul reapers he didn't recognize.

"So this is where you guys were. I was starting to wonder where you guys disappeared to inside this world." Kon chatted with the soul reapers he was familiar with but they did not respond instead they lunged at Kon and Toushiro.

"Hey," Toushiro yelled at the people. "Get out of my way," he threatened but he was ignored. In the meantime, Kenpachi and Kyoraku grew taller wielding a club and ball and chain.

"Come on," Kon turned around dodging the attacks from various weapons. Kon ran over to the edge of the forest and rested looking back to the crowd blocking their path.

"We've got to find a way to get around that army." Toushiro whispered, his mind whirling through multiple strategies but all of his ideas required a sword.

"Hi, there Toushiro," Yachiru popped into his vision surprising both him and Kon.

"Hi Yachiru," Toushiro answered looking at the army then back to Yachiru. "Can you help me out here?"

"How?" Yachiru turned her head to the side and glanced to the battle field where Kenpachi stood waiting for Toushiro.

"I need a weapon to get past that army and free Karin from that spell."

"Ha! I knew you liked her." Kon chose that time to point out the obvious, but Toushiro chose to ignore him.

"I don't know. I dont' think that Kenny would have any fun that way." Yachiru looked at the giant soul reaper wishing to be on his shoulder like before. Toushiro smirked at the little fairy as an idea came to him out of the blue.

"Give me a weapon and I can assure you that Kenny would have more than enough fun." Toushiro stated to which Yachiru giggled clapping her hands together.

"Okay, what do you want?" Yachiru asked making Toushiro pause and think. The weapon that kept popping in his mind was a long sword with a four point star at the base and a chain extending from the hilt.

"This is going to sound strange, but I need a sword that has a four point star at the base and a chain extending from the hilt." Toushiro explained the sword and Yachiru's eyes opened wide at the detail.

"You want Hyourinmaru," Yachiru pointed at him as if he had three heads. The name sounded familiar to Toushiro, but shrugging it away, he nodded his head.

"Okie, dokie," Yachiru held the little wand above her head and waved the wand in wide circles. "Bring out Hyourinmaru!" A sword materialized from ice and snow to fall into the ground beside Toushiro and getting dangerously close to Kon's side.

"That was close," Kon noted. The sword had landed not two inches from his side, he could even feel the wind as it fell down.

"What's this?" Toushiro grasped the hilt in his hand and blinked that he was able to hold the sword with such ease.

"Toushiro this is Hyourinmaru. Hyourinmaru this is Toushiro." Yachiru cheerfully introduced the sword and prince. "Now, go have fun with Kenny. Bye, bye Toushiro." Yachiru waved and popped away in a cloud of pink.

"Okay, now what?" Kon asked and Toushiro blinked at the sword with a phrase that kept repeating in his mind.

"Reign over the frosted heavens, Hyourinmaru?" Toushiro whispered and blinked at the whirlwind of snow and ice that circled the both of them in surprise.

"Cold, cold," Kon complained when the wind subsided. Kon was standing with ice armor covering his head, chest, forelegs, and a covering on his hindquarters. Toushiro was dressed different too: he was wearing armor made of ice with the symbol of a blue serpentine dragon on the chest plate.

"Okay, Kon, let's go." Toushiro heeled Kon onto the battle as he pointed the sword to the ground just inches above the dirt. A plan was forming in his mind and he smirked at the genius of it.

"What are we doing?" Kon asked/screamed as Toushiro led him into the middle of the army with all of the weapons firing toward them. It was through this melee that Toushiro allowed the sword tip to skim the ground extending a layer of ice on the field behind them. Jumping from the mass of soldiers and heading toward the canyon, Toushiro looked behind smiling that the entire army was now tripping and skidding across the newly made ice-rink. He blinked that the only soldiers that escaped the rink were Ikkaku, Kyoraku, Kenpachi, Kuchiki and Shuuhei. However, Toushiro liked these odds much better: it was easier to battle one against five instead of one against an army.

"Come on Kon," Toushiro pushed Kon straight to the canyon to the horse's surprise.

"Please tell me you don't want me to jump that?" Kon begged. Toushiro didn't answer only pushing the horse faster and closer. Then at the last minute, Toushiro scraped Hyourinmaru along the ground in a path directly in front of him. With a great deal of concentration, Toushiro directed Hyourinmaru to form a huge bridge made of ice with steps leading to the top. Kon leapt onto the stairs of ice and climbed the steps, he only stumbled a couple of times. In the middle of the bridge, Toushiro pulled Kon to a stop allowing the horse a brief rest. From the highest point of the bridge Kon watched the five soul reapers run straight for them.

"Perfect," Toshiro smiled to Kon's surprise.

"What's perfect?" Kon asked the boy riding him but was given no answer. Instead Toushiro rested Hyourinmaru's tip on the ice and called more ice to widen the bridge, as well as covering the walls of the canyon with a layer of ice several inches thick. When the five soul reapers started to climb the bridge, Toushiro turned Kon to run off the bridge. However seeing as how the bridge was made of ice, Kon could not get any grip and so only slid along the ice – very grateful that Toushiro had erected walls for the bridge. Just as Ikkaku reached the top of the stairs, Toushiro threw the chain to latch onto a pillar of ice and pulled Kon onto the other side. Kon was able to slide down the incline and made it safely to the ground. In his gratitude, Kon bent down and kissed the solid earth. Toushiro looked up and smirked that all five soul reapers were slipping in the middle of the bridge, above the deepest part of the canyon.

"What now?" Kon asked watching the soul reapers slip and slide toward their direction.

"This," Toushiro sliced the edge of the bridge with Hyourinmaru and they both watched the bridge collapse sending the soul reapers to the bottom along with a mountain of ice to freeze them all.

"Okay," Kon nodded then turned toward the castle. "Do you think Ichigo's mad?" The plume of green fire that erupted from the castle courtyard answered Kon's question.

"Yes," Toushiro answered and pushed Kon forward toward the castle. Ichigo appeared in front of Toushiro blocking him from reaching the castle. This annoyed Toushiro much more than Ichigo realized.

"I see you got past my army and my canyon, but now Toushiro," Ichigo smiled down to him, "you deal with me." Ichigo raised his staff amidst insane laughter and slammed it into the ground. The staff bellowed green smoke that raised Ichigo into the sky before it formed into a black dragon with yellow eyes and two small horns on the tip of his nose. The dragon blasted two white beams toward the horse and rider. Toushiro managed to dodge the pair of blasts just in time.

"Okay, genius, how do you take care of a dragon?" Kon asked running as fast as he could while avoiding those arcing beams of destruction.

"I'm more concerned with destroying that staff of Ichigo's. It has become a great annoyance." Toushiro answered as they made a full circle around the dragon.

"Come on, Zangetsu, hit them already!" Ichigo yelled to the black dragon, whose head he was currently standing on. The dragon glared up to Ichigo before he answered.

"Ichigo, you are taking this too far. I don't really want to hurt him." Zangetsu complained as he tried to reason with his irrational master.

"I don't care I will not allow him to get anywhere near my sister." While Ichigo and Zangetsu debated the proper disposal of the white haired boy, Toushiro had another brilliant idea to come into his head: freeze the ground and thaw it to make mud. True it would only slow him down, but it just might be enough for Toushiro to destroy that staff. Anyway it was worth a shot.

"Kon circle them again," Toushiro ordered as he let Hyourinmaru skim the earth once again freezing the entire area underneath the black dragon. Toushiro kept the blade tip down toward the ground as he called the ice to be thicker and deeper. Since he was too focused on icing the ground, he didn't see Zangetsu's tail swipe at the two of them. Toushiro flew off of Kon's back landing on his stomach which knocked the wind out of him while Kon was thrown to the side falling to his knees very painfully.

"Now I've got you," Ichigo smirked down to Toushiro as he had fallen to the ground. "Zangetsu, do it now." Ichigo ordered and the dragon had to comply.

"I am sorry, Toushiro." Zangetsu pulled his head back and let loose a wide arch of white energy.

"Reign over the frosted heavens, Hyourinmaru." Toushiro raised his sword and threw a giant wall of ice to block Zangetsu's attack. The attack was split in two leaving Toushiro completely unharmed. Toushiro thrust Hyourinmaru deep into the ground watching the ice infect the area beneath Zangetsu. When Toushiro believed it to be deep enough, he glanced up where Zangetsu was preparing for another attack.

"I hope this works," Toushiro whispered, but he had a distinct memory where this technique succeeded. Toushiro removed the sword. At first it seemed that nothing happened, then the ground started shaking under the dragon and a sickening crack reached everyone's ears. The ground under the dragon gave way as an underground lava tube was crushed from the melting ice creating a giant sinkhole and filling the pit with mud. Since Zangetsu couldn't get a foothold, he was reduced to scrambling in the ever-deepening mud pit while his wings were trapped in the sticky mess.

"Now's my chance," Toushiro ran up to the pit and jumped onto the sinking dragon. Surprising Ichigo, Toushiro slashed the staff in two with Hyourinmaru destroying all of his power. Ichigo screamed "NO" before he was frozen into a block of ice. Since Zangetsu came from Ichigo's staff, the dragon itself was frozen in a block of ice as well.

Toushiro dropped to his knees completely exhausted, looking around he blinked that there were no more enemies around. He slowly slid off the frozen dragon and ran over to Kon who still had the ice armor on.

"Kon, are you okay?" Toushiro asked the horse.

"Yeah, I think so," Kon stood up from the ground testing all of his legs. "This ice armor really works great." Kon exclaimed as he walked over to Toushiro.

"Okay, we need to go get Karin." Toushiro smiled as he jumped up to Kon and ran over to the castle. Kon ran through the castle and stopped at the base of the tallest tower.

"Karin should be in a room at the top of this tower." Kon explained to Toushiro allowing the boy to step down.

"How do you know?" Toushiro asked while he retrieved Hyourinmaru from the sheath at Kon's shoulder.

"It's where all the villains hide the princesses they kidnap." Kon explained as if it was the most common knowledge.

"Okay, I'll be right back." Toushiro stated then he disappeared into the tower. He ran up the stairs and came up to a door to the only room. Testing it, he grumbled that it was locked. After stepping away from the door, Toushiro cut it down with Hyourinmaru and he stepped over the half door to enter the room. At the far wall was a bed where Karin lay under the covers.

"You always did look so innocent when you slept, Karin." Toushiro stated to her sleeping form. He walked over and sat at the edge of the bed. He had been there before (not the room but the situation), looking down as she slept and wanting to see her eyes again. Without thinking, Toushiro leaned down and gently kissed Karin on the lips. He watched her eyes open and she let out a big yawn as she sat up on the bed.

"Hey Toushiro, what's going on?" Karin asked looking around the tiny room and rubbing her eyes. "How did I get here?"

"You fell into a deep sleep after you kicked a soccer ball." Toushiro answered giving her an annoyed look.

"Why would a soccer ball put me into a deep sleep?" She looked around and pushed the covers away from her so she could stand up beside Toushiro.

"Ichigo can't stand the thought of us being together." Toushiro shrugged as he turned to the window overlooking the frozen statue of Ichigo on Zangetsu's head. The room around them started to fill with powder dust and a green fairy popped into the room.

"Hi Karin, it looks like Toushiro is your true love since he is the one who woke you up." Yuzu giggled flitting in the air.

"CAN WE GET THIS OVER WITH NOW?" A blue fairy dashed into the room angrily flitting beside the green fairy.

"Soi Fon?" Toushiro pointed to the blue fairy and she sighed.

"You are not to remember this Toushiro Hitsugaya." Soi Fon ordered as the third fairy broke into the room.

"Kenny had fun playing with you, Toushiro." Yachiru happily cheered.

"I'm glad to hear it Yachiru," Toushiro slowly stated as Karin looked on in confusion.

"Okay, what's going on? Why is the blue fairy look so angry, and how does the green fairy know me?" Karin asked pointing to the respective fairies.

"You don't remember yet, do you?" Soi Fon exclaimed suddenly too tired to care about her appearance.

"Remember what?" Karin asked and Toushiro simply smiled over to her.

"This," Toushiro took her into his arms and kissed her deep. He pulled back and Karin blinked a couple of times looking up at him she smiled.

"How could I forget all of that?" Karin asked looking into his eyes. More dust fell into the room until everyone fell into a ballroom. Karin heard a grunt when she landed hard on something, or someone. The person groaned under her weight.

"My darling Karin," Isshin ran up to her from the hall as the person she was sitting on continued to groan. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm good dad," Karin answered as she looked down to see a tattooed red head.

"Glad to hear," Renji grunted to her, "could you please get off me. You're heavier than you look." Renji stated as Karin stood up, making sure to stomp on his leg at the insult.

"RENJI! How could you say something so rude?" Rukia flew in flapping over his head when some pink dust fell onto her wings and she returned to her human form.

"Eeep," Rukia squeaked before she fell on top of Renji crushing him back to the floor just as he was trying to get up.

"Rukia," Renji complained as she got up from his back. Renji stood up and cracked his back.

"Man that hurt," Renji bent over rubbing his aching back.

"Where is Toushiro?" Karin asked looking around the room. He seemed to disappear.

"Don't worry. Captain Hitsugaya will pop up around here somewhere." Rangiku explained walking up to the Kurosaki girl. A puff of red smoke released Yuzu, Yachiru and Soi Fon in their original forms.

"I'm so glad to be normal again." Soi Fon happily explained rubbing her arms and feeling her shoulders to make sure the wings were gone.

"I had fun!" Yachiru began jumping around the room.

"Here they all are," the group heard Shunsui exclaim from the hallway.

"Someone needs to tell Hyourinmaru not to leave us frozen for so long." Captain Kuchiki cracked his neck to relieve the stiffness.

"Speaking of which, where did they go?" Shunsui pointed out noting the zanpaktou and his master had disappeared.

"He'll turn up sometime." Haineko pointed out as the other zanpaktou joined everyone else.

"There they are," Yumichika pointed out as Hyourinmaru and Zangetsu pushed an ice statue into the room followed by Toushiro Hitsugaya. The pair left the statue in the middle of the room and Karin stepped up to see who it was: Ichigo Kurosaki.

"It's Ichigo," Karin pointed and gently tapped the ice covering her frozen brother.

"Are you going to keep him like that?" Renji asked walking up to Ichigo to tap on the ice with his knuckles.

"No/Yes," Toushiro and Hyourinmaru answered with opposing views.

"Hyourinmaru, you have to thaw Ichigo." Toushiro ordered but Hyourinmaru frowned to his shorter master.

"Master, it is because of Ichigo that we are in this mess," he transferred his glare to the prisoner and ordered more ice to cover the figure.

"Even so, he must be defrosted, and you know this Hyourinmaru. So, thaw him." Toushiro ordered but Hyourinmaru made no move to comply.

"Hyourinmari," Toushiro glared up to his zanpaktou.

"Master Hitsugaya," Hyourinmaru returned the frosty glare. "If he is thawed, then he'll just send us to a different world and start this all over again." Hyourinmaru brought up a very good point. Ichigo was crazy enough to send them to a different world and banish is own sister into a coma for the rest of her life. What's stopping him from doing it all over again?

"That's true but it is possible that somebody else could say the spell and send us to a different world." Toushiro reasoned with his zanpaktou.

"Yes, but there is no guarantee the spell will be activated should anyone else speak it." Hyourinmaru countered. This seemed to be a hopeless argument. Once a person gets on Hyourinmaru's bad side, they stay on his bad side.

"I can guarantee that if Ichigo is freed, he will send us to yet another world. My patience with him is growing very thin." Hyourinmaru explained his reasons and Toushiro was finding it difficult to persuade the dragon otherwise.

"Still Ichigo is the best person to ask for us to get free of this world." Toushiro explained one more time and Hyourinmaru sighed at this final reasoning – if Ichigo remains frozen then they may never get out.

"Are you sure about that spell, Captain Hitsugaya?" Rangiku asked walking to stand beside him.

"I'm not sure, but it's best we not find out."

"Does anyone even remember it?" Uryu asked pushing his glasses up higher on his nose.

"I think it went something like," Renji began to the group's horror, "'A world in which these two separate is the place I seek. World of Azarath make thine choice.'" Renji proclaimed as the group tensed looking all around the room looking around for smoke. Ranikgu stalked up to Renji and grabbed his head into a head lock.

"YOU BETTER THANK YOUR LUCKY STARS NOTHING HAPPENED!" Rangiku screamed into his ear bursting his eardrum.

"But didn't he also say: 'Azarath Metrion Zinthose.'" Yachiru called from on top of Kenpachi's shoulder.

"NOOOOOO!" The entire group (minus Ichigo and Zaraki) screamed just before the red smoke poured in from the doors engulfing the entire floor.

**Omake:**

**Karin: *knocks on Ichigo.* Ichigo is still frozen.**

**Hyourinmaru: Serves him right.**

**Toushiro: Hyourinmaru, you have to thaw him eventually.**

**Hyourinmaru: We'll see.**

**Rangiku: Well, it looks like the spell works no matter who says it. *Glares at Renji.***

**Renji: Oops. *Sweat drop as see murderous glare from everyone.***

**Rukia: YOU'RE A BIGGER IDIOT THAN ICHIGO! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU . . . *Begins to go on verbal rampage.***

**Rangiku: Now, Rukia, we have children in the area. *Toushiro glares up at Rangiku.***

**Toushiro: Rangiku . . . *freezes her with glare.***

**Rangiku: Uh, I mean . . . uh, uh. *Tries to move away but in zero gravity.***

**Renji: Now who's the idiot? *Everyone glares over at him.***

**Everyone: YOU ARE! *Group launch over to Renji and proceeds to pound him.***

**On a continent far away from Japan:**

**Raven: Who did you sell the book to?**

**Beast Boy: I sold it over the internet. I don't know exactly to who.**

**Raven: *grabs Beast Boy by back of shirt with flames in her eyes.* YOU BETTER FIGURE IT OUT OR ELSE I'LL SEND YOU TO AN ALTERNATE DIMENSION!**

**Beast Boy: Got it. *Struggles in her grip.***

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**A/N: Well here's the end of the Sleeping Beauty story. I'm planning on sending them to more worlds, but I may need a little bit of help. If anyone has a story you want to see the gang fall into, just send me a message. Let me know what you think of this chapter. Until the next chapter. I would like to thank all of my reviewers so far. I'm glad that you're enjoying the story. **


	5. Are you kidding me, part 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, and I don't own the stories that the characters are falling into.**

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Momo Hinamori was walking down the main street in Sereitei curious as to where everyone had gone off to.

"Where is everyone?" Momo asked herself looking into all of the courtyards up to the fourth division.

Sereitei had been quiet for the past few hours and she was starting to worry. While she sat in her room reading a few books, she noticed that Captain Unohana hadn't stopped by that day. Ever since Momo had been cleared to leave the fourth division medical buildings, Captain Unohana had been by every afternoon to check up on her and see how she was doing. Momo was improving but she still had a long way to go: Aizen did a lot of damage to her psyche and everyone was worried that she would have a mental breakdown. So far everything had been going well, until today when Captain Unohana failed to stop by her room. Come to think of it, nobody had been by and it has been unusually quiet. Suddenly that silence was broken with the panting and wheezing of a soul reaper running down the street.

"Iba," Momo called to him as he paused running in place beside her. "What's going on?"

"Bad things, Lieutenant Hinamori," Iba panted then he sped off toward the Seventh division.

"What kind of bad things?" Momo cried running to catch up with him. As she passed the sixth division courtyard, a shadow passed over her blocking out the sun. She looked up and screamed at the red smoke that stretched above then slammed down swallowing her whole. The smoke sped down the streets of Sereitei with more ferocity and greater speed in search of more souls.

. . . . . . .

Momo opened her eyes only to blink at a grand bedroom all around her with a large oval mirror erected on a wall just in front of her. Looking around her, Momo spotted a king size bed with deep purple bed curtains hanging down from the rods of the canopy. The bed was covered with deep blue covers with gold clinging to the seams and gold pillows adorned the head of the regal bed. Momo dropped her hands from her mouth and felt a strange fabric on her waist. Looking down, she gaped at the dress she currently wore: a floor length blue dress with purple sleeves ending in white, stiff cuffs and a purple belt around her waist. She also wore a black cloak that draped over her shoulders covering half of the dress. Momo looked up to the mirror and blinked at the small crown that was sitting on her head above her hair pulled back into a bun held together with alternating streamers of purple and gold.

"What's going on?" Momo asked and nearly shrieked when words appeared in the ordinary mirror.

"'Repeat after me: Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who's the fairest of them all?'" Momo read aloud and nearly shrieked when a face appeared on the screen.

"Lieutenant Hinamori," the face of Yumichika appeared in the glassy background of the inanimate object. "How did you get here?"

"I don't really know," Momo squeaked as she slowly backed away until she tripped into a vanity chair directly behind her. "I think I need to return to the fourth division because of hallucinations." Momo exclaimed to Yumichika in the mirror.

"I'm sorry, Lieutenant Hinamori, but this is no hallucination." She looked up to him with wide eyes. "What you are experiencing is very real, I regret to say."

"So, that red smoke was real too?" Momo asked blinking as she thought back to the red mass that engulfed her. Even now she shivered at the memory.

"Yes, in fact that is how the rest of us were trapped inside of this world, or "worlds" as it turns out." Yumichika continued to explain.

"How did this happen?" Momo asked as she remained seated in the cushioned chair, she feared her legs would give out on her if she tried to stand.

"Ichigo Kurosaki read a spell from this spell book he had purchased and sentenced most of the soul reapers and many humans into this cursed dimension." Yumichika growled with a very ugly tick mark pounding on his forehead. "In each world we come in different forms. Apparently in this world I am a mirror." Yumichika looked around the frame and frowning that he could not look at his own reflection – who knew mirrors could not peer back at their own reflections.

"Ichigo?" Momo asked in confusion. The name sounded familiar but she didn't know who he was.

"Oh, that's right. You've been out on medical leave for several months. I had forgotten," Yumichika looked down to the floor in shame before he continued. "Ichigo Kurosaki is the substitute soul reaper station in Karakura. He saved Rukia during the time that Aizen tried to have her killed in order to retrieve the Hogyoku." It was Momo's turn to stare at the floor in shame as those painful memories returned.

"Ahem," Yumichika brought her attention back to their situation. "Well in any event, Captain Hitsugaya, Lieutenant Matsumoto, Ikkaku and I were sent down to the world of the living in order to protect that city should anyone attack." Yumichika waited for Momo to nod her head in agreement.

"It turns out that while Captain Hitsugaya was staying in the world of the living he met Karin Kurosaki, Ichigo's little sister, and has developed a relationship with her. Ichigo has gone mad at their relationship and is the reason we have all been hopping from world to world until we can find a way to get out of this dimension. It appears that you, Lieutenant Hinamori, have been dragged into this dimension and so are trapped along with the rest of us." Yumichika completed the summary of the events up until their present world. He nodded his head while Momo sat in complete shock.

"Toushiro likes someone," Momo whispered to the floor curious as to why her heart seemed to crack at this piece of information.

"Yumichika, I would like to see this Karin Kurosaki." Momo requested surprising Yumichika at the severe tone ringing from her voice.

"Very well my queen," Yumichika answered making Momo blush until she felt the crown on the top of her head. Since she wore a crown, it meant that she was a queen in this world.

"Here she is," a picture of a young black haired girl in a short sleeve kimono that had been torn and dirtied with use and scrubbing the steps of a palace with an old scrub brush. She didn't seem to mind the work while she scrubbed the marble even harder causing more soap bubbles to curdle out from the sides of the brush. She jerked her head up and a smile lit up her face as recognition of a person walked up to her. The person who approached her was Toushiro Hitsugaya wearing a white puffed shirt and brown riding pants above his black booted feet all while a dark blue cape blew around his shoulders in the breeze. He removed his feathered cap and pulled a black and white round ball from behind his back. It seemed that this ball caused her more joy as Momo watched her face light up in excitement. Momo growled in the back of her throat when Karin leaned toward Toushiro as he whispered something in her ears. It was then he bounced the ball up to a second story window to Karin's annoyance and Toushiro only smiled back to her.

"ENOUGH!" Momo shrieked shocking Yumichika with the force of her yell and her hands shaking slightly in a quiet rage.

'_He can't possibly like her! He can't!'_ Momo furiously thought as she heard the front door slam shut and hurried footsteps run into a room one floor directly below her.

'_She can't even walk quietly. I doubt that she has any manners. Why would he even give her a second glance?'_ Momo fumed in her mind as Karin seemed to rummage in the room harshly throwing objects aside. Tables squeaked with the speed and force she used to throw them aside in her haste.

"I can't believe him!" Karin complained looking for her soccer ball. "He took it from me in the first place and has the nerve to bring it back saying that I had forgotten it. Ha! I don't know what kind of servant he is with the way he dresses. He tries to look smooth and from a higher family, but he can't be anything more than a farmer's son." Karin continued complaining tossing more items around the room to search under the bed.

"Oh man, I can't find it." Karin pouted with a huge frown pulling at her face. She turned from the room grumbling quietly under her breath.

Back in the queen's room, Momo was continuing to stew in the scene she just witnessed.

"Yumichika!" The mirror started at her call since she had been so quiet for the past several minutes. "I want to know the exact relationship that Toushiro and this Karin have developed." She ordered with a glare burning holes in the glass as if she dared him to deny her request.

"Yes, my queen," Yumichika recovered from his surprise "Karin and Captain Hitsugaya have been dating for the past several months." Momo stood in shock for several moments as this news sunk into her mind.

"Dating?" Momo whispered.

"Yes, my queen, they have very deep feelings for each other. I must say it has helped Captain Hitsugaya to develop a lighter mood and he has calmed down so much since they began dating. However, as I said before Ichigo had gone mad especially when he couldn't scare Captain Hitsugaya away." Yumichika smirked as he thought, _'as if a mere mortal were able to scare off a captain of the Gotei 13.'_ He quickly shook his head focusing to the matter at hand.

"This led to the spell he called down upon everyone. If my understanding is correct, the spell erased their memory of each other. In each of these worlds, they meet and develop a strong relationship just as before the spell, but then the spell is repeated and we are sent off again and it all starts over again." Yumichika shook his head from side to side at the confusion of the situation.

"So, you're saying in this world that Karin and Toushiro don't know each other." Momo inquired.

"That's right," Yumichika answered then blinked at the devious smile playing on Lieutenant Hinamori's lips.

'_Then I can just end this 'relationship' before it can start. Toushiro will never know and he won't care when she is gone.'_

"Thank you, Yumichika. That will be all." Momo swiftly turned from the mirror as the face faded into the reflective piece of glass so only the room and her standing in the center showed in the oval frame.

"Now to take care of this Karin Kurosaki.," Momo growled as she stormed out of the bedroom to figure out exactly who was in this castle.

Karin ran back to the stairs to continue scrubbing after she finally found her soccer ball and returned it to her room.

"Now to finish these stairs before supper," Karin mumbled as she bent back down to the concrete. A little bunny came bounding up to the stairs and landed in Karin's lap.

"Karin! I'm so glad that I found you." The bunny exclaimed. Karin stared at the bunny then screamed throwing the creature to the ground.

"What? Whoa, Whoa," the bunny waved his hands around as she looked up to her. "It's me, Isshin." Karin blinked and grabbed a broom that lay nearby. "I'm your father," the bunny stated causing Karin to frown.

"Look I don't know if you've eaten some bad carrots or something, but you can't be my father since you're a bunny rabbit and I'm a human." Karin pointed out while still holding the broom preparing to attack.

"You forgot, again." Isshin, the rabbit, moaned with large tears falling from his eyes before he hopped away into the woods.

"Karin," the voice of the queen fell on the girl's ears as she lowered the broom and watched Queen Momo descend the steps.

"Yes, my queen." Karin answered and Momo paused for a moment as she was still getting accustomed to being labeled a queen.

"I want you to go out into the woods with Tetsuzaemon Iba, the hunter. You are to collect berries and game for dinner this very afternoon." Queen Momo demanded of the younger girl.

"Yes, my queen." Karin answered. It looks like supper would have to wait a little while longer. Karin ran inside and quickly changed in a simple brown skirt and yellow shirt ensemble. She threw her brown riding cloak over her shoulders as she hurried out of the room and sprinted to the gates where Iba waited on his dark brown horse.

Queen Momo looked on from her bedroom and a cruel smile darkened her face at the ease of this plan to eliminate her rival.

Iba helped Karin onto her horse, a small white stallion, before he jumped onto his own steed, a dark brown stallion with a long stripe from his eyes to the tip of his nose. She followed the hunter out into the woods. As they rode, Karin couldn't help feel the "eyes" staring at her from the woods. She wanted to go up to whoever stared at her and punch his lights out for peeking on her.

"Here we are." Iba suddenly pulled up at a meadow where many berry bushes lined the edges of the forest and a few birds took flight from the trees overhead. Karin jumped down and let her horse nibble on the grass as she walked up to the berries carrying a small brown wicker basket.

Iba watched her as he stepped down from his larger steed. The queen's message played through his mind.

_-Flashback-_

"_I want you to take Karin out far away into a meadow to find some game and where she can pick berries."_

"_Yes, my queen." He nodded his head in obedience._

"_But, before you return I want you to have an 'accident' where Karin is killed."_

"_What?" He stared up to her in shock._

"_You heard me, I want you to take her into the woods and have a 'hunting accident'. It happens all of the time, Tetsuzaemon. You mistook Karin for a deer and stabbed her in the back or shot her with an arrow in the back. You may take your pick of the method of her disposal. Either way I don't want to see her face ever again. I don't want anyone else to see her face again come to think of it." The queen's vicious smile displayed the seriousness of her request._

"_My queen I am not comfortable with this request." He admitted his disapproval to which Momo only frowned before her lips took on a smirk that only Aizen could pull off._

"_Then, I suppose you shall disappear in the very near future should the two of you return." He gulped because he didn't want to die so young. He still had so much to live for: he wanted to be a mighty warrior, to be married, he also longed to see children, and to see them grow up to be mighty warriors._

"_Very well, my Queen, as you wish." Tetsuzaemon replied with a bow as he stood from his kneeling position._

"_Wait, Tetsuzaemon," he turned back to her as her dark eyes bore into his. "There is something else. To make sure she is disposed of I wish you to return with her heart in this box." Momo pulled a simple blue box with the lock being a dagger stabbing a heart. "If this is empty upon your return, then I would regret the news of your surprising demise on your next hunting party." Momo placed the box in his hands and he could almost feel the final beats of a heart pounding within the simple chamber._

"_Do we have an understanding, Tetsuzaemon Iba?" Queen Momo asked as she turned from him to head up to her room._

"_Yes, my queen." He had to swallow the bile that threatened to bring him to his knees._

_-End Flashback  
_

So it was with a heavy heart that he watched Karin bend down at the bushes and slowly start picking the best out to place in her basket. Iba slowly stepped up to her pulling his dagger from the sheath at his back.

'_I was heading for a rabbit caught in a snare when I tripped on a root. It was an accident that my dagger stabbed the girl in the back . . . and pulled her heart out in my attempts to dislodge it.'_ Iba had to sit down when his knees started to go weak at this pathetic excuse. Nobody would believe that a hunter of his experience would be careless enough to trip over a root. Then again . . . accidents happen. He slowly rose and proceeded toward Karin's hunched form.

'_I'm sorry for this child, but it's either your life or mine.'_ Iba silently apologized when he spotted two wolves come from the woods directly in front of Karin and leap over her hunched form to land between her and the hunter.

"What is the meaning of this?" The light brown wolf demanded. Iba blinked at the voice emanating from the large wolf.

"AHHH, WOLVES!" Karin screamed staring at the massive wolves growling at the hunter. One wolf was light brown with gold eyes and the second was silver with gray eyes.

"Captain Komamura?" Tetsuzaimon stuttered dropping his dagger and stepping away from the wolves.

"Yes, Tetsuzaemon," the brown wolf spoke as he advanced toward his lieutenant. "I am very disappointed in you, Iba. You should know better than to intentionally kill another human being." The brown wolf growled again.

"Kill?" Karin blinked looking around the meadow then down at the dagger. She stumbled to her feet and nearly fell into the bushes but the silver wolf kept her balance.

"All will be well, Karin. I shall not allow any harm to befall you." The silver wolf spoke to her and she was freaked out once again.

"This is too weird. First a rabbit tells me it's my father and now there are two wolves that are talking." Karin stated while she hung onto the wolf's neck to keep her upright.

"This is not an honorable thing to do. What do you have to say for yourself, Tetsuzaemon Iba?" The brown wolf, Captain Komamura, demanded of his lieutenant. Iba suddenly dropped to his knees with his fists to the ground as he begged for mercy.

"I am deeply sorry for the actions but I have no choice. It's Momo, she demands I bring back Karin's heart in a box or she'll have me killed! I didn't know what to do. I'm sorry Captain." Iba touched his forehead to the ground in deep regret and shame.

"Lieutenant Hinamori?" The silver wolf exclaimed in surprise. "I have never known Hinamori to take such drastic actions."

"Then you don't know my lady Momo." A little blue bird flitted over to land on the wolf's shoulder. Karin jumped at the bird speaking to the group.

"She hasn't been right since Aizen dropped her."

"And many are curious as to why my master is eager for Aizen's head to be placed on a stake." The silver wolf shook his head.

"Did you find her?" An orange cat jumped from the bushes. "I guess you did. Hello Karin." The cat greeted the girl. Karin simply waved in silence completely taken aback at these animals sudden speech.

"Did you doubt us, Haineko?" Komamura requested of the cat.

"No, but I'm surprised that Hyourinmaru didn't go for Captain Hitsugaya first." Haineko admitted about the silver wolf.

"My master would have been deeply disappointed if we had arrived too late, Haineko. It was faster that I come first." The silver wolf, Hyourinmaru, explained. Karin looked around at all the animals.

"Hyourinmaru, I'm sorry about my mistress." The little blue bird chirped on his shoulder.

"It is no fault of your own, Tobiume. I suppose it was bound to happen at some point in time." Hyourinmaru explained.

"Still that leaves us with a very big problem." Iba broke into the animal's debates. "What are we going to do about Karin? If I don't bring her heart to Momo, then she'll have me killed." Hyourinmaru snarled and stalked toward Iba with his hackles raised. Tobiume was scared off of his shoulder at the wolf's reaction.

"Hyourinmaru nothing will happen to Karin." Komamura eased the wrath of the silver wolf.

"You could leave and not return to the castle." Karin supplied and Iba looked over her shaking his head.

"Then she'll know for certain that you're still alive and she'll find some way to have me eliminated. And I really don't want to die!" Iba whined to the group.

"AND YOU THINK THAT I DO!" Karin angrily stated to the lieutenant.

"Lieutenant Iba," Tobiume flitted over to his shoulder to give her suggestion, "my mistress said to bring back her heart, right?" Iba nodded his head to confirm the bird's words.

"Well, just give her the heart of a different animal. She won't be able to tell the difference and you can return then move away as soon as you are able." Tobiume's suggestion was the exact solution to the problem.

"That's a great idea." Iba happily agreed and he carefully replaced his dagger into the sheath under the careful watch of Hyourinmaru.

"So what do I do?" Karin asked the group.

"That's a good question, Karin." Haineko jumped onto Hyourinmaru's back and the orange cat put one paw under her chin in thought.

"You can't live in the forest." She mused to herself.

"I know where she can stay." Hyourinmaru stated as he bent down to allow Karin to jump on. "Jump on my back, Karin." She blinked at the wolf as he patiently waited in his kneeling position.

"Okay." Karin jumped onto his back as Haineko jumped off.

"Hold on," Hyourinmaru stated and Karin gripped a clump of fur in each hand just before he plunged into the woods leaving the other animals to finish up the plans for tricking the deranged queen.

Karin remained quiet as she rode on the back of the wolf. They traveled for a good distance just as the wolf stopped at a little cabin across a small creek. The cabin stood just a little above her own height.

"What type of person lives here?" Karin asked sliding down from Hyourinmaru's back.

"Very good friends who will keep you safe," Hyourinmaru explained as he led her across a little bridge to the front door. Karin knocked on the door and one little man opened the door.

"What do you want?" A grumpy three foot high miniature Kenpachi grumbled up to the human and wolf. Kenpachi had a patch over one eye and his revealed green eye glared up at the pair.

"This is Karin. She needs a place to live until Queen Momo can be reasoned with, or dealt with." Hyourinmaru lowered his voice at the end of that sentence.

"Who's there?" A woman half standing just barely three feet walked up behind the first dwarf. This little woman had her hair braided down the front of her pale blue shirt.

"We don't need anyone to bother us." A crabby voice vented from inside the small cabin.

"We have no room. Go away!" A shrewd voice broke above the other voices.

"Now, Soi Fon, we can't leave a little girl in the woods alone." A kinder voice broke into the mess.

"I don't care. No one else is going to enter this hut." The shrewd voice demanded.

"I will hear none of that Soi Fon. She may stay here." An older voice interrupted.

"I have no issues as long as she can obey the rules of this household." A far off voice responded to the mess.

"Besides, can't get any worse I suppose." A lighter voice exclaimed over the other voices.

"Very well, then come and introduce yourselves." Hyourinmaru requested stepping away from the little cabin door as four more small people came out.

"Come on, Soi Fon, get out here." A small man wearing a straw hat called back to the open door.

"No," the small female voice returned.

"Captain Soi Fon I order you to present yourself front and center this instance." A small man with a long beard carrying a walking stick ordered back to the cabin. Karin heard small grumblings as she stomped out of the cabin to stand in line beside the man with the straw hat.

"See, it's not so bad." A man with medium length black hair exclaimed to her but she disagreed.

"No this is worse." She growled between clenched teeth.

"Is this worse than butterfly wings, a flowing dress, and magic dust?" The man with the straw hat asked and the woman blushed a deep red in shame.

"So who are you guys?" She asked and the little men and women presented themselves from left to right.

"Kenpachi Zaraki." Dwarf with spiky hair having small bells attached to the tips with deep red shirt and brown pants.

"Retsu Unohana." Female dwarf with hair braided down the front of her light blue shirt and brown skirt.

"Byakuya Kuchiki." Dwarf with medium length black hair with silver pieces along his bangs and wearing a yellow shirt and brown pants.

"Genryusai Yamamoto." Dwarf with long white beard and walking stick with a deep blue shirt and brown pants.

"Jushrio Ukitake." Dwarf with long white hair with a green shirt and brown pants.

"Shunsui Kuoraku." Dwarf with straw hat and bangs on left side of face with a pink shirt and brown pants.

"Soi Fon." A female dwarf with hair in pig tails wearing an orange shirt and brown pants.

"Hi. My name is Karin. It's nice to meet you." Karin answered with a small wave. The little people responded in kind except for the pink shirted.

"Let's just get inside and eat." Soi Fon grumbled and ran inside before anyone could argue.

"You shall be safe here, Karin." Hyourinmaru exclaimed pushing her toward the little cabin with his nose.

"Okay, bye Hyourinmaru." Karin waved to the silver wolf as he returned to the woods.

**Omake**

***Haineko runs to catch up with Hyourinmaru.***

**Haineko: Deal with Momo Hinamori? Would you really do such a thing, Hyourinmaru?**

**Hyourinmaru: Yes. She threatens the one that my master is enamored with. As far as I'm concernted she should be frozen alongside Ichgio.**

**Haineko: Where is Ichigo anyway?**

***Look up to castle garden where stone figure of Ichigo holding bowl with water pouring out of cup into fountain with birds sitting on him and doing what birds do.***

**Haineko: He's a fountain.**

**Hyourinmaru: Yes, although I would have preferred he be turned into a gargoyle.**

**Haineko: But a fountain?**

**Hyourinmaru: Yes, is that a problem.**

**Haineko: No, but I wonder . . . *bird poop lands on Ichigo's eye* if the bird droppings will disappear or if they remain when he's defrosted.**

**Hyourinmaru: I hope they remain.**

**Haineko: Hyourinmaru!**

**Hyourinmaru: What? *looks over to Haineko perched on a bench.***

**Haineko: You're unbelievable.**

***Tilts one ear in confusion toward the little orange cat.***

****On a continent far from Japan****

**Raven: I can't believe you entered my room and took my book. Now where is it?**

**Beast Boy: Hold on, I think I have the receipt around here somewhere.**

***Beast Boy goes into closet and throws clothes, shoes, bones, pillows, bouncy ball, Silkie, and other undistinguished items to pile up around Raven.***

**Raven: I will not touch anything that comes from that closet.**

***A small cat is thrown past Raven to run down the hall.***

**Raven: That explains all the disappearing tuna.**

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**A/N: Okay here is the next chapter. I chose Snow White because I wanted to and I couldn't think of another one that would fit with the characters that "fall" into the red smoke. I apologize for making Momo evil in this story but I had to give the Queen a reason to want to off Snow White. The only reason I could think of was because Momo may have feelings for Toushiro but she has lost him forever to Karin. **

*****Warning small rant: I mean seriously. She believes Aizen who she only knows for a couple of years at the most (or however long she knew him) over Toushiro who she's known practically her whole life. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that you trust the person you've known longest. Since she didn't, she doesn't deserve Toushiro Hitsugaya. End Rant.*** Okay I'm done. **

**Let me know what you think of this chapter. I know it's not as funny as my other chapters, but I couldn't think of any real serious humor to add anywhere. Either way let me know what you think of this story and I want to thank all of my lovely readers for your wonderful suggestions. I'll see you guys when I get the next chapter up.**


	6. Are you kidding me, part 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach**

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Momo smiled down to the box in her hand. She took one look at Iba and knew the deed was done.

"That will be all Iba." Momo dismissed him before she returned to her bedroom.

"It's over," Momo smiled down to the box as she locked it inside a small cabinet. She turned to leave the room when she heard her voice projected from the mirror.

"Was that the right thing to do?" Queen Momo slowly turned around and squeaked toward the reflection: Lieutenant Hinamori.

"Yes," the queen hesitated in answering.

"You hesitated. You are unsure."

"It does not matter now anyway. She's gone and now things can go back to the way it was before Toushiro returned to the world of the living." The queen's eyes looked off into the wall reliving her memories.

"When it was just you and Toushiro growing up at Grandma's house; when you left to the Shinigami Academy to be a soul reaper; when you met Aizen?" The lieutenant listed their life from years ago. The queen nodded in agreement with the lieutenant until she brought up Aizen.

"Captain Aizen cannot be all the bad things that everyone says." The queen defended her captain as she stalked back up to the mirror.

"Aizen tried to kill Rukia Kuchiki and he tried to kill us. How, Momo, how can you still defend him?" The lieutenant sadly requested frowning to her counterpart.

"SHUT UP! YOU'RE WRONG!" The queen started at a knock on the door.

"Queen Momo," Matsumoto peeked around the door. "Are you alright?" She blinked up to a red faced queen shaking in fury.

"Yes, I'm fine, only talking to myself." The queen answered turning from the door as she calmed down considerably.

"Okay." Matsumoto quietly shut the door.

Rangiku kept her hand to the door knob and pressed her ear to the door. Ever since Iba had returned Rangiku stood guard outside of the queen's bedroom. Iba was standing a little further away relating the details of his mission to Isane, Renji, Rukia, Izuru, Shuuhei, Nanao, and Orihime.

"She's talking to herself in the mirror." She looked back to the group.

"This is very disturbing." Nanao shifted her glasses higher on her nose.

"You're telling me," Iba whispered to the others.

"She has completely lost it." Rukia agreed with her friends.

"It is this form of mental breakdown that Captain Unohana feared would happen." Isane shook her head in pity over the situation.

"What's so bad about it? I talk to myself all of the time and nobody thinks I'm crazy." Orihime explained.

"That is debatable considering your diet." Renji grumbled but Orihime did not catch his meaning so only stared at him in confusion.

"Lieutenant Abarai," Nanao chided him as she turned to the red head. "Orihime you know when people say 'don't answer yourself'?" Orihime nodded, "well Lieutenant Hinamori is answering her reflection and truly believes the reflection is real when it is all in her head."

"So that is a sign that someone is crazy?"

"Not necessarily crazy but," Nanao paused, "it can be very dangerous."

"Of course people can be completely harmless when they are like this," Rukia ageed with Nanao.

"It is only when the person becomes a danger to themself or others around them."

"Sadly this is the state that Momo has fallen into," Nanao looked over to the door as Rangiku pressed her ear even harder to listen.  
A little orange cat and small blue bird ran up the hall into the little group.

"Haineko, Tobiume," Nanao looked down to the pair. "How did things go? Is Karin safe?"

"Was that a real question?" Haineko scoffed at the lieutenant." Do you honestly think Hyourinmaru would have left if she was not safe?"

"I understand Haineko; that was a silly question." Nanao whispered when Rangiku motioned for them to be quiet.

"Where did he take her?" Shuuhei asked the little cat and bird.

"We don't know." Tobiume whistled flying up to Shuuhei's shoulder. "We stayed behind with Capt Komamura and Tetsuzaemon."

"Wait, so you brought Momo a full box?" Izuru asked Iba who solemnly nodded his head.

"Then what did you put in the box if it wasn't Karin's heart?" Shuuhei asked the other lieutenant.

"He put in the heart from a human analog." Haineko happily supplied.

"What is a human analog?" Nanao blinked drawing the attention of everyone around her.

"It is a pig." Haineko stated with a big smile gracing her cat mouth.

"You gave Momo a pig's heart?" Orihime asked looking a little green.

"Well it was the closest thing we could find and not make Momo suspicious." Iba explained.

"I wonder if she'll ever know the difference." Izuru whispered to no one in particular. He looked up to several pairs of glaring eyes.

"You better not have jinxed us." Nanao threatened, she could be terrifying when she wanted to be.

...

Queen Momo stared back to her reflection in the small moment of silence.

"Are you sure?" The lieutenant asked.

"What?"

"Are you sure Iba killed Karin and took her heart?" The lieutenant made a good point: Iba was not known to take another's life.

"I need to make sure." The queen whispered glancing up to the mirror and confused that it was empty. Queen Momo stepped up to the base and called Yumichika.

"Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who's the fairest one of all?" Momo watched Yumichika's face appear in the surface.

"Hello again Queen Momo, how can I be of service to you?" Yumichika smiled to her.

"I want to see Karin Kurosaki once again." Queen Momo demanded of the mirror. The mirror blinked then "shrugged" his shoulders (that is if mirrors had shoulders).

"Let's see where I can find her." He mumbled as he looked down to the frame. "No, no . . . nope, not her."

Momo held down her eyes as a cruel smile crept onto her face.

"That's definitely not her, but I do like that color. . . Hmmm. She was here earlier today. Let's see. . . Maybe I should look farther from the kingdom." Yumichika mumbled turning toward another side of the frame.

"Take as long as you'd like mirror."

"Aha! There she is!" Yumichika proudly stated producing a perfect picture of Karin at the cottage of seven captain dwarves. Momo had to school her features to keep from growling in fury.

"Mirror, where is she exactly?" Momo demanded to know causing Yumichika to pause and looked her straight in the eyes.

"She's far out in the forest. Over the river and through the woods, then you hop a bridge crossing a small creek and there it is. You can't miss it." Yumichika cheerily detailed the exact directions to the insane queen.

"Thank you, Mirror. You may leave." Queen Momo dismissed him but this time he didn't leave so soon.

"Queen Momo," she looked up to him slightly annoyed. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, Mirror. I am perfectly fine. Now, I'll call for you later." Queen Momo waved bye as Yumichika's face faded to be replaced with Lieutenant Momo's appearance.

"So, she is safe." Lieutenant Momo stated to the room.

"He lied to me." Queen Momo harshly whispered.

...

"Oh no," Rangiku jumped over to the group, "Momo found out where Karin is hiding. She's staying with the seven captain dwarves."

"Captain dwarves?" Shuuhei asked.

"Yes," Rangiku nodded her head.

"As in Captain Yamamoto, Captain Kenpachi, Captain Kuchiki - those captains?" Renji asked blinking very slowly at Rangiku.

"I guess so. Is this really important right now Renji?" Rangiku growled at him.

"I guess not." Renji mumbled.

"We have to find out the world we are in." Izuru complained to the group.

"I sent Yuzu to find any book she could find about these types of stories." Nanao explained in the hope to ease their fears.

"How would she know?" Renji asked.

"Well, first because she is from the world of the living, and second because she's heard some of these stories before, Lieutenant Abarai." Nanao growled. She was quickly losing her patience.

"Well until Yuzu gets back, I'll keep guard and find out what she's going to do." Rangiku turned back to the door as Tobiume flew over to her shoulder.

"I'll squeeze in through the cracks and listen from the inside." Tobiume swiftly did as she had suggested.

"Thanks Tobiume," Rangiku thanked the little bird for her assistance with her most unreasonable master.

"What am I going to do?" Queen Momo paced in front of the mirror glaring at every piece of furniture as if they had anything to do with Iba's betrayal.

"You can't send Iba again. By now, I'm sure Iba has told more of the servants about your attack on Karin. Perhaps it is time to let the girl be." Lieutenant Momo quietly spoke to her free counterpart.

"'Let her be?'" Queen Momo scoffed at that suggestion. "Toushiro will not accept me as long as she is in the picture. I can't send another servant so I better go myself. You know the saying: if you want something done right you have to do it yourself." Queen Momo smiled to her reflection in the mirror.

"But won't Toushiro miss her if she is killed?" Lieutenant Momo continued to speak with the Queen.

"He won't remember her. There will be no memory for him to miss." Queen Momo answered to the mirror.

"And if he remembers, what will he do?" Queen Momo paused at this image. Should Toushiro remember Karin, there will be nothing to link back to her as the culprit.

"No one will know if I take care of Karin because no one will be there to witness it." Queen Momo finalized her plans with a cruel smirk.

"But the question is how? How do I get rid of her without causing any suspicion?" Queen Momo thought walking up to her vanity and looking through the pieces of make-up. One bottle had a warning label: 'Do not eat, if eaten contact poison control center'.

"Poison," Queen Momo looked for any more ideas.

"But what should I poison? Not something to bathe in . . . Not something to drink. It needs to be something that no one will suspect." She continued to pace and she ground her teeth as she made her rounds. On one particular hard bite, Momo was greeted with an intense piercing of pain.

"Why don't I eat more apples? Everyone knows an apple a day keeps the doctor away." Momo rubbed her cheek then paused as she giggled.

"What is it?" Lieutenant Momo asked her counterpart popping her head up.

"I'll poison an apple and she'll be killed. Now, who would possibly suspect a person die from such a healthy fruit?" Momo laughed with such cruelty ringing in her voice. Rangiku stood outside the door with her jaw hanging open and her eyes bulging out of her head.

"Rangiku what is it?" Shuuhei asked since he was the first to see her horrified expression.

"She's going to poison an apple." Rangiku mumbled slowly backing away from the door.

"Oh no," Nanao bit the tip of her nail as her nerves started to take hold of her.

"Wait a minute, did you say poison apple?" Orihime asked to which Rangiku numbly nodded her head.

"You know that reminds me of a story my big brother once told me. It was about this lovely young girl who was kind to everyone but her jealous evil stepmother hated the young girl and planned to kill her. She tried to bribe a hunter to do the killing but she escaped to live with these little dwarves." Rangiku explained and blinked at all of the stares in shock.

"How did you know that, Orihime?" Rukia slowly asked in shock.

"Huh, oh that is the story of Snow White." Orihime giggled. "It is the most classic of stories. Beside Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty of course . . ." she continued to chat but Renji was too irritated to listen.

"YOU KNEW WHERE WE WERE THE WHOLE TIME!" He accused with a finger in her face.

"No, I only realized it with the apple." Orihime exclaimed confused as to why Renji was so angry with her.

"It's okay Orihime," Rukia stated kicking Renji into a wall.

"Please tell us what happens at the end." Nanao requested of the young human.

"Ummm, let me see," one finger touched her chin in deep thought. "Snow White eats the apple and falls into the sleeping death. The dwarves build a glass coffin for her and the prince comes by and awakens her with a kiss." Orihime exclaimed pounding a fist into her hand.

"If we let Momo mix any type of poison, then I doubt it will be any kind of spell." Isane whispered with her eyes wide.

"That would certainly be fatal." Iba agreed.

"If anything like that happens to Karin, then I can't ensure the safety of Momo Hinamori." Haineko spoke up to the stunned group.

"Why is that Haineko?" Rangiku asked her zanpakuto spirit.

"Hyourinmaru will kill her on sight. The only reason Iba still has his throat intact is because Captain Komamura was there to calm him. No one will be able to stop him if something such as this does happen to Karin." Haineko solemnly pointed out to the group.

"Then we keep it from happening." Izuru demanded.

"How do you propose that?" Shuuhei asked the blonde.

"Find each and every poison in the castle and hide it so that Momo can't find it. She won't be able to poison any apples if she can't find the right ingredient." Izuru explained.

"That's a good start, but what if she tries to make her own poison?" Iba asked knowing better than anyone that she was in a mind to do just that.

"Isane you follow her concealed in an illusion. If she does try to make a poison, you can switch out the ingredients so that nothing is lethal." Nanao suggested and Isane nodded her head.

"Alright, let's go." Rukia announced and everyone split up to do as suggested. Isane stayed behind to follow Momo.

Just as Iba suspected Momo tried to make her own when she couldn't find any decent poison in the entire castle. She didn't think on this for very long but descended down to a hidden chamber where she had dozens of powders and potions. Isane wondered where it all came from but didn't think too long since Momo was working very fast.

"Let's see," Momo opened a book and read through the ingredients on the list. Isane peeked over her shoulder and gasped at the ingredients. She snatched up a pen and paper to write down a new recipe for herbal tea. Isane inserted the new recipe over the poison to trick Momo when her head was turned. It was at this time that Momo gained a little bit of sense.

"That wasn't the recipe I looked at." Momo muttered. Isane gaped as Momo began to lift the page. Isane knocked over an empty cup surprising Momo with the clatter it made hitting the ground.

"How did that fall?" Momo walked over to the cup while Isane dashed through the ingredients as fast as she could. She removed all of the most dangerous and replaced with everyday spices she hid in her pockets.

"Oh well, I remember what that page said so I'll go by memory. Now one ingredient was werewolf saliva." Isane grimaced at such an ingredient placing a hand on her stomach in disgust. It was a good thing her illusion was so strong because Momo actually bumped into her. Isane dashed out of the way when Momo tried to feel for the object. She shrugged and moved on. Isane did this for the entire procedure. When Momo tried to reach a poison Isane would distract and switch out with harmless herb or spice.

"That should do it." Momo sighed at the cup of steaming liquid she finally managed to make. "I don't know why it was so hard to gather all of the ingredients. If I didn't know better I would swear there was someone in this room. But that can't be since I don't see anyone." Momo explained to herself as she took an apple from her robe and quickly dipped the juicy fruit into the liquid. The apple steamed and sizzled soaking up every last drop of the concoction.

"And a little dash of sleep powder should do the trick." Momo grabbed and dashed the ingredient before Isane could stop her.

'_Oh no, they're going to kill me.'_ Isane groaned in her thoughts. She followed Momo back to her bedchambers in despair that she had failed.

"How did it go?" Rangiku walked up to a depressed Isane.

"Well, it's not poisonous. That just might be the healthiest apple in existence but it will put a person to sleep." Isane complained.

"How is it healthy if it puts one to sleep?" Rukia asked with her hands on her hips.

"Well, it is soaked with garlic powder, shreds of orange rind, taragon, lemon juice, fish oil and a few other spices I could switch out. Then, at the last minute Momo added a dash of sleep powder onto the apple directly. By now I'm sure the sleep has spread throughout the entire apple. So it's not lethal but it's a sleeper." Isane rubbed her eyes in exhaustion.

"Now how will I give her this apple without suspicion?" Momo asked wrapping the apple up in a white hand cloth.

"She is from the world of the living, so she will not be so trusting." Lieutenant Momo countered the Queen in a vague attempt to change the woman's mind, and failed.

"I'll just have to be craftier. They still have farmers that sell their stocks. That's what I'll be. It will be perfect." Queen Momo whispered in glee.

"But the Captain dwarves will be there. They will protect her." Lieutenant Momo raised the final problem with her plan.

"Then I'll send someone to get them out of the cottage." Queen Momo laughed with a cruel smile as Lieutenant Momo disappeared from the mirror.

. . . . . . .

"I am tired of eggs. Can't we have some meat?" Kenpachi complained for the tenth time. Karin was the tallest person in the cottage (a feature she was enjoying for the moment), and so was the only one to reach the stove without a chair to stand on.

"Well, I'm not that great of a cook and this is the only dish that I know." Karin explained pouring out another helping of scrambled eggs.

"It's lovely, Karin. Thank you for the afternoon breakfast." Ukitake bowed to the cook. Karin smiled with a curtsy to accept his gratitude.

"You're very welcome, Ukitake." Karin exclaimed when a swift knock drew the captains to their feet.

"Who is it?" Captain Yamamoto called out standing in front of the other captains.

"It's Hanataro. I have some urgent news from Toushiro." Captain Yamamoto quickly opened the door blinking up to the boy dressed in a blue shirt and pants with a little horn at his side.

"What is this news from Toushiro Hitsugaya?" Yamamoto demanded of the boy.

"He is t-t-trapped in a diamond mine that you dwarves have b-b-been working on, and he needs help to be dug out." Hanataro quickly stuttered to the men and women.

"Alright, let's go. It will take all seven of us our size to dig him out." Captain Kyoraku motioned his support for the trip.

"Alright, it's not like I've been embarrassed enough in these blasted worlds." Soi Fon was finally starting to loosen up if only a little bit.

"Toushiro is going to rub our height in our face especially considering how long he's been the smallest captain in all of Sereitei." Ukitake noted to the group and everyone groaned at this meeting.

"I'll show you the way." Hanataro turned from the cottage and motioned for the group to follow.

"Karin make sure you don't open the door for anybody do you understand?" Captain Kyoraku requested of the girl.

"Yes sir, I understand. Good luck getting Toushiro out of this jam he's gotten himself into." Karin called out to the group disappearing around the bend.

Queen Momo wrapped the shawl around her hair to drape over the shoulders of her simple peasant dress. She pulled the poison apple out and kept the handkerchief tucked around it in the basket of apples on her arm.

"Hello over there," she cried out in an English accent. Karin opened a window to spot a young woman with a shawl covering her hair over a brown and white peasant dress stepping across the bridge to the little cottage.

"Hello," Karin nodded through the window as the woman stopped by.

"May I interest you in selling some of my freshest apples?" Queen Momo in disguise raised the basket to Karin's eyes to emphasize the truth of her statement.

"Why are you selling them?" Karin asked as her sixth sense started to tingle.

"We have had a more than productive year on the farm and we simply have too many apples than we need. We've already made apple jam, apple preserves, apple pies and any other thing you can imagine using apples. If I eat another apple, I think I'm going to be sick. So my mum, sisters and I are selling the rest. We would hate to waste such a productive stock." Momo explained in her sweetest voice. This explanation was very sensible and made Karin push her suspicions aside. If anyone was going to be selling poison apples, they would have come in as an old hag on a walking stick. Not a lovely young woman living on a farm.

"Okay, how much are they?" Karin asked looking at all of the delicious fruits.

"Well to decide that, you'll have to taste a sample. When you taste the sweetness of these apples, then I'm sure you'll be able to pick out a number. Here, try this one." Momo picked the sleeping apple from her basket and handed it to Karin. This apple happened to be the largest and reddest of them all, more than appetizing to any eyes.

"It looks and smells delicious." Karin complemented the seller. If it tasted as good as it smelled, then she wouldn't know how many to buy.

"Wait until you taste it." Momo stated smiling in such kindness to put Karin at ease.

. . . . . .

The dwarves crossed the creek when an idea hit Soi Fon, or it could have been that low tree branch.

"We don't have a mine." Soi Fon stated. The rest of the dwarves stopped finally remembering this little fact.

"You're right." Kyoraku slowly agreed.

"Hanataro, I demand to know why you have tricked us." Captain Unohana demanded of her division member.

"I'm sorry, Captain Unohana." Hanataro started to change into an image of Lieutenant Momo. "I tried to convince her otherwise." All of the captains gasped then turned and rush back to the cottage.

"It hasn't been too long, I'm sure nothing's happened." Kyoraku tried to brighten the situation.

. . . . . .

Karin brought the apple to her lips and took a huge bite out of it. She crunched the juicy, healthy, goodness then swallowed. Just before she raised the apple for another bite she swayed then passed out on the floor. The apple rolled against the door.

"Well, now it is definitely done with." Momo removed her shawl and dropped her accent. She hurried away from the cottage when seven angry footsteps began pounding through the forest.

"I better be going, Good-Bye Karin." Queen Momo waved then dashed off across the creek and back to the castle before anyone could recognize her.

"Karin, Karin. Karin!" The voices of the dwarves cried out to the young girl.

"Something's happened." Captain Kuchiki stated running up to the door only to find it locked from the inside.

"Well, she didn't open the door." Captain Kyoraku surmised.

"Maybe she's gone to the outhouse." Kenpachi suggested only to be met with glares.

"Ridiculous, Captain Zaraki." Soi Fon answered him. Kuchiki looked up to the window.

"The window," Soi Fon, still being the most limber of the group, leapt up to the window and gasped.

"Darn it, she's passed out on the floor." Soi Fon growled down to everyone.

"Is she just passed out or is she dead?" Zaraki asked earning more glares from the group.

"I can't tell." Soi Fon yelled jumping from the window and opening the door for everyone.

"Hyourinmaru is going to kill us." Kyoraku mumbled.

"Why will Hyourinmaru want to kill you?" The Captains froze at the large ice wolf's words. Hyourinmaru sniffed the area and walked into the house. He walked into the cottage calm and walked out growling and snarling at anyone who dared approach.

"You were supposed to protect her," Hyourinmaru growled deeper. "You ensured me no harm would come to her under your care." He stalked up closer to Yamamoto who stood his ground even at the teeth of one very ticked off wolf. "I trusted you."

"HOLD IT!" Haineko ran through the woods and jumped onto Hyourinmaru's snout closing it shut. Hyourinmaru shook his head in an attempt to throw the cat off.

"She's not dead. Isane and the lieutenants made sure the potion Momo put on the apple would not kill." Haineko reassured gripping with her claws to the jaw of the wolf. She was pretty sure that Hyourinmaru would not bite her, but with his attitude and mood through this world she didn't want to take any chances.

"Look, the apple was not poisoned." Isane explained as she worked to catch her breath from the sudden dash.

"Then, why is she passed out on the floor?" Kyoraku asked pointing back to the cabin where Unohane was looking her over.

"Momo added a pinch of sleeping powder before I could stop her." Isane stood straight looking into the silver wolf's enraged eyes.

"See, Hyourinmaru," Haineko said loosening her hold on his snout only slightly. Tobiume flew over to Hyourinmaru and landed on his ear. The ear twitched then flattened to his skull in great annoyance.

"She will wake up sometime soon." Tobiume explained as she hopped over to the top of his head.

"Now if I let you go will you promise not to bite?" Haineko asked looking the wolf in his eye. He blew a deep breath through his nose then he nodded one quick jerk that threatened to knock Haineko off.

"Okay, but remember you promised." Haineko released her claws and Hyourinmaru dropped her from his snout. He shook his head from side to side.

"Haineko, your claws are very sharp." This was all Hyourinmaru said before he jumped from the yard and ran deep into the forest.

"I can't believe him," Haineko stared in shock as the branches swayed back to their natural positions. "He said he wouldn't bite." She sat in the yard with her orange tail twitching in anger.

"I don't think he'll attack Momo." Rangiku comforted the cat with a soft smile on her face.

"Then where's he going?"

"I'll give you three guesses and the last two don't count." Rangiku smiled to the entire group. Not long after Hyourinmaru disappeared than the group heard some grumblings accompanied by crashing of a large animal from the woods.

"I SAID PUT ME DOWN!" The group heard Toushiro screaming from the direction of the crashing.

"Whoa," Renji stated when Hyourinmaru jogged into the yard holding the back of Toushiro's shirt in his mouth. Everyone stared in surprise, nobody knew how to react to this scene.

"I wonder what he'll do to Hyourinmaru when this is all over." Rangiku mumbled watching Hyourinmaru drag Toushiro into the cottage and plop him in front of the bed that Karin lay down.

"What happened to Karin?" Toushiro asked looking down to Karin. Unohana put a small blanket over the sleeping girl.

"She ate a piece of a sleeping apple." Unohana explained to the boy.

"It's always something with you, isn't it Karin?" Toushiro stared down at her and smiled to her. He remembered she always got into trouble, and he had gotten her out of trouble a good deal of those times.

"Well, there isn't any time to sleep now is there?" Toushiro knelt down and kissed her on the lips. He stepped back and watched as she sat up stretching her arms and back to release the kinks.

"Oh, hi Toushiro," Karin smiled up to him, "you know I had the strangest dream. I dreamt that I had eaten a bad apple that made me go to sleep and . . . and . . ." Karin looked around from the bed she was laying down on to the bitten apple on the floor.

"It wasn't a dream." Karin stated with a frown on her face.

"No, it wasn't." Toushiro answered when he heard some cries coming from outside.

"I'm a human again." Yumichika cheered to the group while Queen Momo stood staring around.

"That's great Yumichika, so when do we turn back to normal?" Captain Kuchiki asked from outside of the cottage where the other captain dwarves were standing. Toushiro walked out and simply grinned at their current position: he was now taller than all of the other captains.

"Oh no," Captain Kuchiki groaned at Captain Hitsugaya's pleased grin.

"It looks like I'm the tallest captain right now. So, I guess you have to look up to me." Toushiro ground the height difference in with such glee.

"Of course he rubs it in our face." Zaraki complained not enjoying this feeling. Lucky for the other captains the red smoke came and they were reverted to their normal heights.

"And just like that, I'm back to being the smallest." Toushiro growled as the other captains looked down to him once again.

"I'm back to normal. Finally no little bird feet and no little bird wings." Tobiume cheered as Haineko looked on.

"Oh, I don't know about that Tobiume. I kind of liked you as a bird." Haineko playfully licked her lips for emphasis scaring Tobiume over to Momo who still wasn't quite right.

"Momo, may I please have a word with you?" Captain Unohana drew the girl to a bench beside the gentle creek.

"Hello, Captain Unohana, how are you today?" Momo happily greeted the doctor captain.

"I am doing well, but I need to talk to you." Unohana requested as they sat down across from one another. Momo glanced into the gently water and blinked at her reflection.

"I'm not in trouble." Momo stated.

'_You did something very bad in trying to kill Karin. I tried to stop you. It's a good thing that Captain Hitsugaya was there to protect her.'_ Lieutenant Momo explained.

"No you're right, she didn't get hurt." Momo continued to talk to her reflection causing Captain Unohana to be concerned.

"Momo, who are you talking to?" Momo pointed to her reflection.

"Lieutenant Momo, can't you hear her?" Momo answered.

"Oh my," Retsu whispered putting a small hand to her lips. She brought a small watch on a chain from her robes.

"You are not in my head. You're right there, but then again I don't know how you could talk from under the water." She paused as she listened.

"Momo, please look at me." Unohana dropped a chain in front of her eyes and started to swing it back and forth. Momo watched the chain carefully as Retsu whispered some words making her become very sleepy.

"Now, you just rest and follow us until we get back to Soul Society. You will walk in sleep until I say 'Here we are' and you shall walk in sleep when I said 'Are you ready?' Starting now," Unohana snapped her fingers and Momo dropped into a sleeping state while standing.

"So, she's sleepwalking?" Karin walked up to the pair of soul reapers.

"Yes, until we return to soul society she'll be in this sleep walk state." Unohana explained rising from the bench and Momo followed the captain with every step.

"Now that that's taken care," Ukitake began, "how do we get out of here?" He began looking around the little yard.

"Maybe we should move onto another world." Kyoraku suggested and was met with the entire group glaring with death glowing in their eyes at this suggestion.

"What? Do you guys have any better suggestions?" Kyoraku demanded.

"No," Toushiro fiercely frowned and looked over to Karin. "Let's get this over with. Maybe there will be a solution in the next world."

"Captain, are you sure?" Rangiku asked her short captain.

"Not really but perhaps there will be another solution in the next world." Toushiro sighed and recited the spell to the surprise of the other captains. "A world in which these two separate is the place I seek. World of Azarath make thine choice. Azarath Metrion Zynthose."

"NOO!" The captains screamed but were engulfed with a red smoke to be sent along anyway.

**Omake**

**Soi Fon: I can't believe he would do this to us! *Growls staring at Hitsugaya standing beside Karin.***

**Karin: I have to agree with you Soi Fon. *Hits Toushiro along the head.* I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU DID THIS! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE A GENIUS! WELL GENIUS THIS WAS YOUR BEST IDEA! HUH?**

**Toushiro: . . . . . . *Steps away massaging the back of his head.* **

**Karin: Oh no, you don't run away from me! *Toushiro turns to run and Karin chases him.* GET BACK HERE YOU SHRIMP OF A CAPTAIN!**

**Soi Fon: Maybe this won't be so bad. *Grins mercilessly while Toushiro runs for his life.***

********On a continent far away from Japan*******

**Beast Boy: It's got to be here somewhere.**

***Continues throwing object from his closet now revealing a pile up to the ceiling. Raven leans against the wall watching the objects fly.* **

**Raven: Have you ever thought about cleaning your closet out? *Beast Boy peeks head from top of pile.***

**Beast Boy: What do you think I've been doing? **

***Raven watches an elephant stomp out of his closet.***

**Raven: I do NOT want to know how that got in there.**

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**A/N: Okay here is the completion of Snow White. I want to apologize to any Momo fans out there but, honestly up to the episodes that I watched of Bleach, she had gone a little loopy. I hope you guys liked it. Let me know what you think. I'll get the next story out pretty soon. I want to thank you guys for all of your wonderful suggestions. They are giving me lots of great ideas and I welcome anymore suggestions you guys would like to give.**

**A/N2: And I know Momo's situation is nothing to joke about and I apologize if there is any offense - that was not my intention. Please let me know what you think.  
**


	7. Are you serious, part 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or any of the stories or characters portrayed in this fanfic.**

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Gin was walking along the hall in Los Noches located in Hueco Mundo.

"Another boring day in another boring palace," Gin looked out the window to find, you guessed it sand, sand and more sand. "Maybe I should have stayed in Soul Society at least there I had something to do, like teasing some of the other captains. There's nobody to tease here who will give me some type of reaction, and those who would react have run off and don't come out to play." Gin sighed once again as he approached the front door. He paused upon hearing the gasps and panting of some type of arrancar. Opening the door, he was bowled down by a tiny ex-espada little girl. He looked up to the girl from his current (upside down) position.

"Nel," he smiled up to the little ex-espada, now he had something to do. "You know that Lord Aizen has demanded you to leave this palace never to return." Gin smirked down to the girl as he stood up to his full height. He frowned when she appeared to be looking past him and pointing at something in the sand.

"Bad, bad, bad thing," Nel mumbled continuously pointing and stumbling back away from the entrance, and from whatever scared her.

"You're an ex-espada, Nel. You should not be afraid of anything even if you are a child." Gin chastised the little girl but she continued to point and crawl back until she hit a tall espada.

"What's going on here?" Grimmjow demanded of the tiny ex-espada and the ex-captain at the front door.

"Something has scared her." Gin answered shrugging his shoulders to the espada.

"That's nothing new, a bunny would scare her." Grimmjow complained and kicked her toward the door.

"NO NO NO NO! Bad, bad, bad coming." Nel continued to stammer as she crawled toward the espada.

"There's nothing coming!" Grimmjow growled preparing to kick her again.

"What's this commotion I hear? It is very hard to concentrate with such a ruckus. Grimmjow? Gin?" Aizen walked into the hall at the group standing at the door.

"Nel has gotten scared by something." Gin answered to Aizen.

"What has you scared Nel?" Aizen asked, apparently the other two never thought to consider the little girl's opinion.

"Bad, bad, bad," she cried some more pointing straight ahead.

"Bad is all around you, Nel. I'm afraid you have to be more specific than that." Aizen coaxed the little girl with that frigid smirk on his lips.

"BAD, BAD, BAD STORM!" Nel cried pointing ahead before turning down a hall and running out of sight.

"Bad storm?" Grimmjow questioned as he looked out the front door.

"It's just another sandstorm. Nothing to be afraid of," Gin smirked to the shadow of the child.

"Ichimaru, I don't recall any of our sandstorms being red." Grimmjow noted and Gin actually turned toward the door. All three stared up at the red fog as it advanced at a surprising speed before consuming them all, and a good portion of Los Noches with them.

. . . . . . . . . . . .

"WE'RE UNDERWATER!" Renji screamed flailing about as the surrounding people stared at him.

"Renji calm down." Byakuya ordered his lieutenant, but the poor guy was caught up in full panic mode.

"But, Captain we're underwater and we'll drown." Renji cried surprised that no one else was flailing about.

"Renji, look at your feet." Nanao suggested pointing toward his legs. Renji looked and blinked at what he saw: not legs but a red fish tail, like that of a mermaid or merman as the case may be.

"Oh," Renji blushed a deep red at his mistake. He looked slowly around at who was here as mermaids and mermen. The mermaids included Rangiku, Isane, Nanao (to her annoyance and Shunsui's pleasure), Soi Fon (at least she wasn't tiny), Orihime, and Yurouichi. The females wore sea shell bikinis with varying colors to match their fin and hair. While the mermen wore no shirts (**A/N: Byakuya fans squeal here ;)**), but also had varying shades of fin color.

"I like this look," Yuroiuchi smiled down as she spun around testing her flexibility.

"You would." Byakuya griped to the woman.

Renji then counted the mermen: Shunsui, Byakuya, himself, Isshin, Shuuhei, and Izuru.

"I wonder what story this is now." Isane looked around the water and admired the Antlantican designs with the pedestals and arches creating a path into a type of open throne room.

"We are still missing quite a lot of people from the previous worlds, and there's no telling who we picked up coming into this world." Byakuya announced to the group and they all nodded their heads in agreement.

"Shall we go see who sits on the throne?" Shunsui commented.

"I'm going to slap him if it is Ukitake one more time." Soi Fon growled in frustration. Now she wasn't angry with him but he had been a king numerous times while she had been embarrassed throughout this entire ordeal.

"We're about to find out." Yurouichi commented as she swam faster than the others seeing as she had adapted to swimming quicker than the others.

"Slow down, this isn't a race." Byakuya commented from the main crowd but he was getting used to the movement.

"That's what you think, Byakuya." Yurouichi smirked before she flitted off down the corridor.

"Not today," Byakuya growled and chased after her using as much speed as he could muster. The other merpeople sped up as they, too, grew accustomed to swimming in the sea. However, swimming in the water and stopping are two different things . . . and they hadn't learned to stop on their own. So it was in such an undignified manner that the king of the merpeople entered the throne room to an unusual sight: Byakuya being crushed by his fellow merpeople with Yurouichi smirking with her hands behind her back enjoying the noble's predicament.

"Brother," Rukia exclaimed to him as she swam down to help him rise. "I'm glad to see you alright." She hugged him and he remained stiff as a statue through her hug, because it would not look decent for a man of his stature to show any type of emotion.

"I am glad to see you safe, Rukia." This was the closest emotion that she ever wrung out of her brother and she would take it.

"Captain Yamamoto you're the king?" Soi Fon blinked up at the head-captain. He was still stronger than the others and he still had his long beard hanging from his chest, and now he held a rather large trident in his right hand.

"Yes, that is correct." He spoke before he turned toward a little crab that swam up to him.

"Head Captain Yamamoto, I must protest this most embarrassing form." The voice that came from the form nearly made Soi Fon laugh. After all, who could be taken seriously as the second in command of all Soul Society, when they resemble a tiny crab with a Jamaican accent? The squeaky voice didn't help Lieutenant Chojiro Sasakibe.

"There is nothing I can do until we leave this blasted world." Yamamoto explained to his lieutenant who grumbled low in his throat as he floated down to the floor.

"Then, it's the same as the other worlds I take it?" Shunsui asked anyone who would answer.

"So it would seem." Yamamoto answered.

"Okay we have to find Karin and Captain Hitsugaya." Rangiku explained looking around the floor and around each pedestal.

"I don't believe you'll find them in this room, Lieutenant Matsumoto, try somewhere outside the castle grounds." Yamamoto suggested motioning with his gold trident toward the outside. She bowed her head and did as he suggested. Nobody could ever guess where Karin and Toushiro were currently located, or at least not where Karin was snooping.

"Karin we need to go back. We're too far out in the open." Jinta, the flounder, complained to his friend.

"Come on Jinta, we're almost there. We're going to find something special I'm sure of it." Karin answered as she dug deeper into the shipwreck that she was currently raiding. She passed a mirror and double backed to admire her reflection. Her fin was a light green but she had a short sleeve blue shirt instead of the seashell bikini like the other mermaids. This didn't bother her because it kept her warmer in the colder waters where she dug for her treasures.

"HAH! Found something." Karin smiled as she found a round object smashed between the mirror and the wall of the ship. With a little effort, she was able to pull the object free for closer inspection: it was round with black and white pentagons making up the surface.

"I wonder what it is." Karin asked her reflection. She tossed the ball in the water and frowned as it sunk to the floor of the ship.

"Maybe Urahara will know." Jinta suggested and Karin beamed back to him.

"You're right, let's go!" Karin grabbed Jinta by his yellow and blue fin as she darted for the surface of the water to ask the seagull she took all of her objects to.

"Hello there Karin," a white and black seagull bowed to his waterlogged guest. This seagull was different because of the green and white hat he constantly wore on his head.

"What do you have to show me today?" Urahara stuck his beak closer to the mermaid as she pulled the ball from out of the water.

"What's this?" Karin showed it to him and he gave off a beaming smile. Of course, she'd find a soccer ball, this is Karin after all. Memory or not she could locate a soccer ball anywhere in the world.

"This is a soccer ball. Humans use it to play a game called Soccer." Urahara answered smiling as Karin's eyes lit up in excitement.

"How do you play this game? Can merpeople play too?" She pulled herself up onto the little rock that Urahara called home.

"Humans kick the ball around a court on dry land, so no Karin, merpeople cannot play this game." Urahara explained and Karin blew her bangs out of her face in disappointment.

"But, the object of the game is to kick the soccer ball into the goal of the opposing team and gain points. The team with the most points wins the game." Urahara finished his explanation to the little mermaid.

"It sounds like such a wonderful game. It's times like these where I wish I could walk on land. Well, I've got to go, Urahara. Bye." Karin waved and dived deep into the water with her soccer ball to store it away with her other treasures.

"We should go get your father. Maybe he's found the other merpeople of the court." Jinta suggested desperately trying to get Karin back into the safety of the palace.

"Okay, let's go home, Jinta." Karin and the yellow and blue striped fish hurried back to their home and Karin hid the soccer ball away from any prying eyes. With her treasure safely tucked away, Karin began to search for her father.

"Father," Karin called swimming into the throne room where the crab, Sasakibe stood trilling his crab legs on the arm of the throne.

"Hello Karin, now where have you-"

"Where have you been? You should have been here hours ago to do your studies." Chojiro exclaimed pointing a red claw toward her. "I have a hard enough time trying to keep your head in the lesson, now I have to try to keep you in the seat to hear the lesson? Karin you have your head in the clouds instead of in your studies which are needed for you to grow into a competent mermaid.

"Chojiro, you interrupted me again." Yamamoto's notice silenced the lieutenant in his shame.

"Now, Karin I would like to know where you have been lately."

"I was out studying the reef and collecting unknown samples."

"Then we took them to the seagull." Jinta got caught up in Karin's excitement.

"Seagull? You went to the surface!" Chojiro jumped to Karin in Yamamoto's place.

"Nothing happened," Karin looked up to him in partial shame.

"Still, you could have been spotted and you could have been captured. For all I could have known, you might have been on some fisherman's plate." Yamamoto rose from his throne in growing anger and Karin pulled away in fear.

"YOU ARE NEVER TO GO TO THE SURFACE AGAIN! DO YOU HEAR ME?" King Yamamoto yelled so loud everyone had to cover their ears.

"Yes sir." Karin nodded.

"Good, now go to your room," Yamamoto ordered pointing in the direction she was to leave.  
Karin obeyed but she scowled behind her where the others were talking with her father.

"Chojiro I want you to watch Karin and keep ber out of trouble.

"You can count on me your majesty." Chojiro saluted and swam, propellor style, to Karin's room. On his way, he spotted Karin in the courtyard with a brown bag hiding some round object.

"Oh, no you don't," Chojiro whispered as he followed her in his determination to follow orders._  
_

Karin swam up to a sealed cavern with a boulder to block the entrance. She made sure nobody else was around before she pulled the boulder aside and followed Jinta into the cave. Chojiro dashed inside but one of his legs was caught as the boulder settled again. He finally freed his legs just as Karin started to speak to Jinta.

"I don't know why he hates them so much, Jinta. The people who make such wonderful things can't all be bad." Karin motioned around the cavern that was filled from roof to sea floor with various items from the surface: pictures, mirrors, brushes, forks, knives, spoons, various sporting equipment, and other types of junk. Karin swam up to a ledge that had a painting of a group of kids kicking a ball on a grassy field. She laid her soccer ball next to this painting and stared at it.

"I wonder what it would feel like."

"What Karin?" Jinta swam up to look at the picture.

"The grass and running. I want to know what the sun feels like. When we go to the surface, the water is a little warmer but it quickly cools down before I even realize. So it is only a memory. I want to be up there, Jinta. I want to know what it's like, what humans experience every day." Karin sighed then was started when Chojiro started to scream.

"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND? YOU CANT LIVE WITH THE HUMANS. IT IS FORBIDDEN FOR SO MANY REASONS. IF YOUR FATHER KNEW ABOUT ALL OF THIS . . ."

"Please, Chojiro don't tell him. I promise to do all my studies and be on time and focus. . ." Karin begged him with her hands folded.

"Very well, but you cant come back here. Now let's go home so you can rest." Chojiro started to lead her away until a shadow blacked out the moons rays.

"What's that?" In her curiosity, Karin swam up to the surface ignoring Chojiro's calls for her return. Breaking through the surface, Karin stared at a large ship with fireworks shooting into the sky as it drifted along the water surface. Her face lit up in excitement as she leapt toward the ship with all of her speed, again ignoring Chojiro and Jinta's warnings for her return. She arrived at the base of the ship.

Karin found a ladder built into the side which she used to pull herself up to the deck so she could watch the humans without being seen.  
She gasped at the humans on the ship, easily twenty men and there was no telling how many were below deck. The music coming from the band instruments caught her attention with the appearance of a boy darting around the deck playing with his silver dog. This boy was nothing like what she had seen. This boy had snow white hair sticking up and looked to be a little older than Karin's eleven years.

"Toushiro," a taller man with straight black hair called for the boy. This taller man resembled the pictures she had seen. He had a pair of glasses that needed to be pushed higher on his nose every so often and he strode around with his back straight.  
"Toushiro, we need to get back on track."

"Alright Uryu, but you know how much I hate these ceremonies." Toushiro complained while the silver dog followed a scent to the railing. Karin hid behind a plank when the dog approached her. The dog barked when it saw her, calling the attention of the humans.

"Hyourinmaru get back over here." Toushiro commanded and the dog obeyed with a small glance back to Karin's hiding place.

"Now for your birthday present," two men, Ikkaku and Omaeda, pushed a large covered item over in front of Uryu and Toushiro. With great fanfare, Uryu ripped the covering off to reveal a statue of Ichigo, still frozen and still a statue.

"What's this?" Toushiro pointed as Hyourinmaru growled at the figure. The dog then smiled and walked behind the statue to give his opinion.

"It was supposed to be a representation of when you grow older." Uryu explained nudging his glasses higher up his nose.

"I'm flattered that you think I'll grow to be six feet tall, Uryu." Toushiro complemented.

"Too bad, Hyourinmaru disagrees." Ikkaku watched a small puddle collect at the place where Hyourinmaru disappeared.

"Hyourinmaru, that was uncalled for." Toushiro frowned at the dog but it simply shrugged his shoulders.

"Speaking of your age, Toushiro." Uryu began.

"Uryu, you know I hate it when you bring marriage up." Toushuro complaind but Uryu simply shrugged.

"I know but you still need to be looking for a bride and so far you've turned down every girl that you have seen." Uryu pointed out while Toushiro hopped onto the railing just above Karin's hiding place.

"Uryu, I already have an image if the girl I want to marry and I haven't seen her yet."

"So what does she look like?"

"She has short black hair and loves adventure as much as I do." A bolt of lightning ended anymore talk of the matter. The music stopped as all eyes gazed at the black clouds rolling towards the ship.

Karin looked about in confusion as all of the humans started running around shouting various orders to keep the ship intact. The wind picked up and blew Karin back into the water just as the ship caught on fire when a lightning bolt struck it. Karin watched in fear as all of the humans retreated to smaller boats and started to row away from the vessel. Toushiro had to go back to help Hyourinmaru out into another boat but his leg was caught in a hole. When the fire reached gunpowder in the hull, the ship blew up with pieces of flaming boards arcing in all kinds of directions. Karin swam into the middle of the wreckage to see if she could find Toushiro and take him to safety. She spotted him just as he started to sink into the water. Karin quickly grabbed him and started to swim to shore. She was able to take him to a beach where she watched over him until he started to wake up.

"KARIN! So here you are!" Chojiro shouted but gaped at the human boy who lay on the beach.

"He was about to drown, Chojiro. I had to save him." Karin answered before he could start yelling again.

"Well, hello there." Urahara landed on the beach beside the sleeping Toushiro. "What have we here?"

"He was on a ship last night that blew up and I brought him to shore to keep him from drowning." Karin answered again.

"I see," Urahara hopped over to Toushiro and listened to his chest. "It looks like he'll be just fine. He's only sleeping for now." Karin visibly relaxed at this news. Then she continued to stare at him with questions darting in her mind.

"I wonder if he'll tell me . . ." Karin whispered just loud enough for Urahara to hear.

"Tell you what?"

"What it's like to live up here on land. Even now, the sun is so warm and it feels good to be in this heat. I almost don't want to return to the water."

"WHAT!" Chojiro shrieked loud enough to wake Toushiro. Karin perked up and remained perched on her rock but Urahara had different plans since he pushed her into the water before Toushiro rose from the sand.

"What happened?" Toushiro mumbled. Karin watched from behind a rock as he stretched his legs.

"Are you alright?" Toushiro jumped at the voice spinning around to find the one who spoke.

"Who's there?" Toushiro demanded as he continued to look around.

"Please tell me. What's it like?" Karin asked before Chojiro or Urahara could stop her.

"What?" Toushiro asked visibly relaxing at the sound of the voice. Chojiro pinched her skin making her wince in pain but she just had to know.

"What's it like to feel the grass on a warm day?" Toushiro heard the wistful tone in the strange voice.

"Have you never felt grass before?" Toushiro asked as the sound of Hyourinmaru's barking was heard from a distance.

"Where I live, we don't have such a plant." Karin answered but Hyourinmaru and Uryu ran up to Toushiro before he could answer her question.

"Who were you talking to?" Uryu asked the young boy who still looked around the beach.

"I heard this voice and it was beautiful but I can't find the person who spoke." Toushiro answered and Uryu simply shook his head.

"Toushiro, it's not good to hear voices. We need to get you home so you can recover from last night's trouble. I'm so glad that we found you. Come along, Hyourinmaru." Uryu led Toushiro away while Hyourinmaru was too busy barking to the ocean where Karin remained hiding behind a rock.

"That was very close. Karin, I can't believe you could possibly do something this thoughtless and stupid. I know you have more sense than that . . ." Chojiro's prattling was drowned out in Karin's mind.

"He said my voice was beautiful." Karin whispered as she gazed up to the beach and the overhanging rocks.

"Someday I will walk on land. I just have to." Karin whispered as she continued to ignore Chojiro and Urahara who decided to give his opinion on the matter. Nobody noticed two slimy eels peeking up from the water, one had a gold eye and a red eye while the other had a green eye and a gold eye. Their golden eyes transmitted a visual to a crystal globe located in an underwater dark cavern where a particularly evil octopus-man lived.

'_If your father, King Yamamoto, hears about this, then he will turn me into crab cakes. So nobody will tell the king. Is this understood?'_ The voice of the small crab reached the octopus-man's ears and made the man smile a sadistically wicked grin.

"This is very interesting. The girl is the daughter of Yamamoto, and she has a desire to walk on land. Perhaps she can be of use to me." The octopus-man slithered from the hall with his eight tentacles waving on the ocean floor. He stood before the mirror and admired his current form.

"Here I've been trying to take the time and energy to forge a key when there is a much simpler way. I could persuade Yamamoto to give me the key, in exchange for the life of his daughter." Aizen's cruel laughter echoed off the walls and made the chilled water even icier.

"Gin, Grimmjow, come back here because we have much to do while we have the time." Aizen ordered the eels and they both obediently returned.

"You know Grimmjow, I was not expecting to become an eel. But, I must say that I am enjoying this new found flexibility. Don't you agree?" Gin looked over to Grimmjow who only grimaced at this motion.

"No, I want to get back to my own body. Do you think Aizen knows how to get us back?" Grimmjow asked the ex-captain. Gin paid no heed to the espada-eel's complaints while they returned to the cave in silence.

**Omake**

***Aizen is staring at mirror and glared at his hair.***

**Aizen: Stay down! *Tentacles move over head to smooth hair.* There, it looks . . .**

***hair floats from roots.***

**Aizen: LIKE SEAWEED! *Looking through bottles on vanity***

**There's got to be something here. *Looks to mud and frowns then back up to hair and glares.***

**It's worth a try.**

***Gin and Grimmjow swim into the cavern where they find Aizen combing mud into his hair.***

**Grimmjow: What's he doing? *Whisper to Gin.***

**Gin: Aizen has always been particular about his hair. When he thinks nobody is looking, he smears gel all over his hair to keep it looking perfect all day long.**

**Grimmjow: Who knew Aizen was so vain?**

**Aizen: AAAHHHH! WHY DON'T YOU STAY IN ONE PLACE? *Mud caked in hair and growls at mirror.***

**Aizen: Now I've got to get this out before anyone sees me.**

**Gin: Hey, Grimmjow, do you want to do something fun? **

**Grimmjow: Like what? *Gin whispers in the eel's ear and Grimmjow smiles in agreement.***

**Aizen: I'll find some way to keep you in one place, Hair! You can count on that!**

*****On a continent far away from Japan*****

***Raven leans on wall at door. Beast Boy still throwing all types of objects/living creatures from his closet.***

**Raven: Are you almost done yet?**

**Beast Boy: I'm getting closer. I can feel it. *Raven looks to end table with a book.***

**Raven: I never knew that Beast Boy read books. *Opens book and sees small receipt.***

**Raven: Beast Boy, did you start to read a book when you sold my spell book over the internet?**

**Beast Boy: Yeah, come to think of it I did. Why? *Raven pulls receipt from inside of book.***

**Beast Boy: Oh, that's where it was.**

**Raven: Always in the last place you look.**

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**A/N: Here is the first part of The Little Mermaid. I love this movie and I just might do a full parody of the movie. I just couldn't pick and choose what I wanted to keep and what to ignore. Besides, a few songs popped into my head that would be so much fun to write. Oh well, I'll finish this and another open story before I start on the parody. Let me know what you think of this chapter. I love all of the suggestions that I've been given. If you have anymore then I'm open to putting them in this story.  
**


	8. Are you serious, part 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. **

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Karin swam back down to her treasure trove and started to look through all of the pictures that were hanging on the walls. She went up to the picture with the grass and kids.

"What would I do to be a part of that world?" Karin asked gently stroking the fabric. "He was cute, and nice. I'm glad that he is okay." Karin was remembering her small talk with the young boy.

"Do you really want to know?" A cruel voice broke into her thoughts.

"Who are you?" She asked a dark green eel with one red eye opposite a gold eye.

"I am someone who could help you get your wish. My name is Gin Ichimaru."

"What could an eel do?" Karin leaned toward the eel.

"I can't do anything, but Lord Aizen will be able to help." Gin circled her so he looked in her eye from her left side.

"The sea warlock?" Karin leaned away from the cold fish.

"Yes, he has magic potions and spells that can solve all of your problems." A red flag started waving in her mind. She had the feeling that she was a mermaid all because of a certain spell.

"I'm not too sure," Karin swam further away from the eel.

"Karin, Karin where did you go?" She heard Jinta calling from outside of the cave.

"We have to return to the castle. Your father will be very worried about your safety." Chojiro called beside Jinta.

"Your father, King Yamamoto?" Gin asked gaining the mermaids attention. "He would be disappointed that you saved a human. He does not approve of humans at all, does he?" Karin glanced over to the red-eyed eel and his silver tongue. He spoke the truth.

"Who knows what your father will do? What if he should find out about your hideaway?" Gin began looking along the walls gazing over the pictures, trinkets then back to the kids and grass portrait and turned toward her.  
"I wonder if he will permit you to keep these treasures from the surface world?" Gin looked around once again.

"Karin? Where are you?" Jinta called out again. She could hear the worry filling his voice and it hurt her.

"I have to go." Karin said before she swam for the exit. "Please leave my hideaway." Karin requested from the entrance of the cave.

"Fine," Gin swam up to her. "But if you become interested in Aizen's offer, you can find me along the outer reef. I'll see you later, Karin." Gin explained before he left the cave making sure to avoid Jinta and Chojiro.

"So this is where you disappeared to?" Chojiro accused in his Jamaican voice as she rested outside her cave.

"Yes Chojiro, I came straight here." Karin answered looking in the direction that Gin had disappeared.

"Now we need to get you back to the palace before anyone finds out you were gone." Chojiro pushed her toward the palace as the sun began to brighten the waters. Chojiro breathed a deep sigh of relief as they entered the courtyard of the palace.

"Okay, I don't think anyone noticed your absence." Chojiro whispered behind Karin. Her head was turned to the little crab so she didn't notice the merman until she bounced off his chest.

"Byakuya!" Karin shrieked in surprise as she floated toward the ocean floor.

"Karin," Byakuya glared down to her with his arms crossed over his chest. "Where have you been?"

"I was just going out for a morning swim to warm up before breakfast." Karin answered swimming up to look him in the eye.

"I checked in your room last night, and you were not there." Byakuya spoke, his voice going darker and deeper. "Now, I will ask again: where were you last night?" Byakuya glared down to Karin making her feel like a speck of sand.

"I . . . I," Karin wasn't sure how to answer as Byakuya kept his cold eyes on her face. Karin gulped and took a deep breath; it was time to tell the truth. "I was out swimming last night when I spotted these strange lights coming from a ship. So, I went to investigate and then there was this big storm that blasted the ship into pieces. Then there was this boy who had fallen into the water . . ." Karin slowly flitted a little further away as Byakuya's temper began to grow darker evidenced by his frigid eyes. "So, this boy was knocked out and was about to drown until I took him to shore and waited until he woke up this morning." Karin took a deep breath as Byakuya glared down at the small mermaid.

"You did what?" Byakuya whispered with his eyes flashing red in anger and fury.

"I saved a boy from drowning." Karin quickly spoke and darted around a pillar before Byakuya exploded.

"WHY WOULD YOU DO SUCH A THING?" Byakuya yelled. Karin was surprised that the entire palace was not awake from the explosion.

"YOUR FATHER HAS RULES ABOUT THIS! AND YOU IGNORE THEM! THOSE RULES ARE THERE FOR A REASON!" Byakuya returned to his normal voice but Karin could still hear the same amount of fury. "When your father finds out about this, he will be furious." Byakuya stated turning from the passage.

"WAIT! Byakuya you can't tell him," Karin swam up to him to grab his arm in an attempt to stop him. However, being larger than she is, he was able to fling her from his arm in a swift motion.

"King Yamamoto will find out about this, Karin. I will make sure of it, and you will learn to follow this one rule or else you will never experience freedom ever again." Byakuya coldly declared, breaking Karin's heart even before she was sentenced.

"This is so unfair," Karin whispered to Byakuya's retreating back as tears began to fill her eyes.

"Now, Karin. You knew this was going to happen when you disobeyed your father." Chojiro explained to her. He had to gulp at her tear filled eyes.

"I know, Chojiro," Karin took a shuddering gasp, "but what was I supposed to do? I couldn't let him drown," Karin dashed away from the palace and toward her treasure trove.

"Karin, wait," Jinta swiftly followed after her leaving Chojiro to stare after her in the hall. "Karin," Jinta finally caught up to her outside of the cave at the boulder. She was staring at a slimy eel sitting upon the rock.

"Well, have you thought about my offer?" Gin asked in a voice that sent shivers down Jinta's spine.

"I've thought about it, and I'll go with you to see Aizen." Jinta froze in the water at Karin's words.

"KARIN!" Jinta dashed in front of Karin to block her from the eel. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING? YOU CAN'T GO TO AIZEN!" Jinta yelled up to her but she just pushed past him.

"I don't care, Jinta. You heard Byakuya, when my father finds out I'll be grounded for the rest of my life and my freedom will be taken away from me. I can't think of any punishment harsher than that." Karin whispered as Gin started to swim away.

"But, we can do something else. Just don't go to Aizen!" Jinta pleaded with her but she ignored him as she batted him away with her fin.

"Get away from me, Jinta. I'm going to go see him. I'll see you later." Karin answered as she followed after Gin.

"Oh no, I can't let this happen." Jinta whispered as Karin continued off.

. . . . . . . . . . .

"Byakuya, are you okay?" Shunsui asked the steaming merman as he swam through the group.

"I'm fine!" Byakuya growled; a red flag that the noble was anything but fine.

"Tell me what happened." Shunsui blocked the man's path with a hand on his shoulder. Rangiku, Rukia, and Renji gathered around the pair with the noble's entrance.

"Karin did not stay in her room last night. I found her entering the palace just now and she informed me that she had saved a human boy from drowning. Not only that, but she watched him at the shore through the night." Byakuya growled under his breath as he relayed this information to the group.

"Did she say who she rescued?" Shunsui calmly asked making the noble pause in slight embarrassment. Due to his anger from her willful disobedience, he completely forgot to ask about details toward the human boy.

"I never inquired on the boy's identity." Byakuya answered backing slightly away from Shunsui who blinked in surprise.

"You forgot to ask?" Shunsui asked and Byakuya coughed in the uncomfortable position.

"Well, let's go see who she saved. It could have been Captain Hitsugaya." Rangiku explained then led the way back to the entrance of the palace. Byakuya swam ahead of her to show them the way.

"Follow me," Byakuya stated as he led the group to the courtyard. The group only saw Chojiro sitting on the seafloor trilling his legs in annoyance and confusion.

"Chojiro, where is Karin?" Byakuya asked to the little crab.

"She swam off after you left to tell her father." Chojiro answered blinking at the glare from Shunsui toward Byakuya.

"Do you know where she went?" Shunsui asked.

"I'm not sure but you can check a cavern near here where she hides all of her treasures." Chojiro motioned to the direction of the cave.

"She has treasures?" Rukia bent down to the lieutenant.

"Yes, I'll show you where it is." Chojiro answered as he led the small group to the cavern just as Jinta was starting to follow Karin and Gin.

"Jinta what are you doing here?" Chojiro asked the striped fish. "Where is Karin?" Jinta looked back to Byakuya and glared to the merman in deep hatred.

"What's he doing here? Hasn't he done enough?" Jinta pointed a fin to Byakuya but his question was ignored when a slightly more important matter was brought to attention.

"Why is Karin not with you?" Chojiro asked the little fish. He frowned at the crab then shrieked as he remembered.

"She went to go see Aizen!"

"WHAT!" Every merperson screamed in unison and shock.

"Aizen is here?" Shunsui asked and Jinta nodded.

"Yeah, an eel came to talk to her and led her away."

"WHY DIDN'T YOU FOLLOW THEM!" Rangiku screamed to the little fish causing him to back up to the boulder.

"Well, they haven't gotten that far." Jinta peeked over the cavern and the group could see Karin and an eel off into the distance.

"We have to stop her." Rangiku exclaimed as she started to swim after the pair.

"I'm coming with you." Renji answered following after her.

"Shunsui, you go tell Captain Yamamoto that Aizen is here in this world. I'll go with the others." Byakuya ordered of his fellow captain.

"Alright, Byakuya make sure she doesn't meet Aizen." Shunsui explained as he turned back to the palace.

"Brother, I'm coming with you." Rukia stated as she followed Karin with the others.

"I hope we're not too late." Rangiku whispered as they trailed after Karin.

"Are you sure that Aizen can help me?" Karin asked the large eel beside her. Gin glanced back toward Karin and spotted the group of merpeople, crab and fish following them.

"Yes, my dear, and I'll show you a shortcut to get to him faster." Gin turned toward the seafloor where a maze of coral and seaweed made the trail nearly impossible for anyone bigger than a child.

"Just follow me," Gin slithered through the cracks of the coral with Karin following closely behind.

"We can't fit in there." Rangiku paused at the coral and seaweed mess that Karin and the eel had escaped.

"We'll go this way and yell when we come to a place big enough for you guys to fit." Jinta stated as he and Chojiro fit into the holes of the reef.

"Okay, just call us as soon as you can." Rukia yelled down to the maze.

Karin squeezed through another couple of holes before Gin led her back to open waters. These waters were much cooler and darker. She looked up to the surface and all she saw was dark blue with barely a shimmer of light from the sun.

"We are really far below." Karin muttered as Gin waited for Karin at the entrance of a T-rex skeleton with his massive jaws open to reveal a long dark cave to act as the throat and stomach.

"Yes we are, but I assure you. You are completely safe," Gin swam behind her shoulders and urged her into the cave. Jinta and Chojiro exited the maze when Karin entered the cave.

"There she is!" Jinta yelled before he darted toward the surface. He peeked over the plateau and yelled for the merpeople to follow him. The group headed over to them while Chojiro followed Karin into the cave.

"Hello young one," a dark, smooth voice greeted Karin from the shadows. Karin watched an octopus person slink from the shadows.

"Hi," Karin hesitated in the mouth of the cavern. She saw a large cauldron like mound of rock perched in the center of the room. To her left was a mirror made out of a giant clam's shell, and to her right were shelves upon shelves of bottles, and there was even a tongue floating in one of them. At the sight of the tongue, Karin jerked back into the tunnel of the cave.

"Well, will you come in," a man with a long torso, wavy brown hair, and eight black tentacles attached to his abdomen beckoned her with a long finger.

"It is rude to lurk in doorways," the man smiled with venom lacing his voice. Karin gulped and contemplated swimming back home, but Gin cut off her escape as he guided her into the cavern to float before the cauldron-rock formation directly in front of the octopus.

"My name is Aizen," he extended his hand for Karin to shake in greeting.

"My name is Karin." Karin reclaimed her hand immediately after Aizen released it.

"A little fish told me that you are in need of my services." Aizen motioned toward Gin who nodded his head in two slow motions.

"You wish to become a human?" Karin blinked at the octopus man's question.

"Yes, I do want to become a human and see what it's like to live on land." Karin answered focusing on the cauldron so she wouldn't be frozen by the octopus-man's eyes.

"Not only that, but you wish to be with a specific young human. Hmm?" One long black tentacle tilted Karin's chin up so she was staring Aizen in his eyes.

"Yes," Karin answered. Aizen smiled a chillingly victorious grin that made her pause in a slight moment of fear and uncertainty. She was with a man who was not on the side of good.

"Let me help." Aizen stated and kept Karin's eyes trained on his own. He could sense that she was about to run away or cry for help. So he kept her attention when he pulled out a black and white ball from behind his back. The ball rested in his black tentacle as he trained Karin's vision onto the object. She gasped at the ball and Aizen could feel the tension ease from her body.

"You want to play with this object. Soccer, I believe it is called." Aizen made conversation and she nodded only half listening to the man.

"I can turn you into a human for three days." Karin snapped her head back to him with her eyes open wide.

"Really?"

"Really, but there is a price for such a feat," Karin sank down in defeat. She didn't have any type of allowance so she was sure his deal was out of her reach.

"I don't want anything of monetary value." Aizen continued drawing Karin's attention back to him.

"I simply want a small part of you that will hardly be missed." This time Karin did arch her head away from Aizen.

"I want your voice." Karin blinked at him in confusion.

"Why do you want my voice?" Karin asked in further confusion.

"I happen to enjoy the sound of your voice. It would please me greatly if, when you leave, I would be able to listen to it at my leisure." Aizen smiled warmly to Karin.

"But, how will I be able to talk to anyone on the surface? I will certainly need my voice to live up there." Karin asked him.

"There are hundreds of ways to speak to another person without using sound. You can write can't you?" Karin nodded her head. "You can make gestures with your hands?" Karin looked to her hands and nodded her head. "And, if all else fails, you can just use body language. If nothing else, this will definitely get a human's attention." Aizen chuckled at the red spots brightening her cheeks.

"Okay, but you said this would only work for three days?" Aizen nodded and motioned her to continue. "What happens after the three days are up?" Aizen smiled to her once again, and once again making shivers dance upon Karin's spine.

"Your body and spirit stays in the medium where you are grounded. Down here you have family and friends that keep you beneath the water. On the surface you have no one, so when the spell wears off, approximately three days from now, your soul and body will return to the medium where you're grounded: the sea." Aizen explained then his smile disappeared from his eyes. "Should you return in three days time, your soul will belong to me," Aizen stared hard into her eyes and Karin gulped.

"That doesn't seem very fair." Karin glared up to the man. "Leave me on land just to have me return and be your slave." Karin growled up to him.

"_You would sell your soul for a soccer ball."_ A deep memory surfaced to her mind.

"I WOULD NOT!" Aizen and Gin blinked at Karin's outburst.

"You did not allow me to finish," Aizen interrupted her. "I said that you are not grounded in the surface world. If you happen to ground yourself by, oh I don't know, falling in love, then the spell would become permanent and you will have your freedom, your love, and your sport to enjoy to your heart's content." Aizen answered pushing the soccer ball into Karin's hands. At the mention of finding a love, Karin thought back to the boy on the shore and she could feel her cheeks grow slightly warm at his image.

Aizen exchanged a glance with Gin as they both came to the same realization: she had fallen for their trap.

. . . . . . . . . . . .

"I gotta get in there!" Jinta cried swimming harder for the entrance of the cave. Just inside the cave, he bumped into another eel. This eel had a gold eye opposite a green one.

"Well, well looks like we have a little clownfish that's lost his way." The eel sneered at the small fish. Jinta glared at the eel and started to feel his temper grow.

"Get out of my way you slimy eel!" Jinta burst past him, knocking him into the wall of the cave in his haste. The eel growled at the boy and darted after him.

. . . . . . . .

"We have to hurry and get down there!" Rangiku exclaimed as they neared the plateau where the entrance of Aizen's cavern lay.

"We're moving as fast as we can go." Renji puffed as his stamina began to falter. It was harder than he thought to swim under the water.

"Well move faster!" Rukia shouted to the red head as she gained more speed to catch up to her brother.

"Maybe you should go on ahead, Byakuya." Rukia suggested and her brother nodded his head. He left the small group in a wake of bubbles as he propelled himself in a much faster speed than the others could make.

"Just head for the dinosaur skeleton at the bottom, that's where Karin entered the cave." Chojiro called out to Byakuya before he disappeared from the group's view.

. . . . . . . . . .

"Well, Karin do we have a deal?" Aizen waved the soccer ball in front of her eyes to entice her.

"Uhm," Karin hesitated following the ball with her eyes.

"KARIN!" Jinta darted up to her and knocked her in the back.

"Jinta! What are you doing here?" Karin asked the fish as he puffed and gasped out trying to catch his breath.

"Grimmjow, I thought you were supposed to be guarding the cave." Gin whispered to the second eel as he, too, huffed and puffed in exhaustion.

"Hey . . . it's not so easy . . . to move . . . so . . . fast under the water." Grimmjow gasped out to the other eel.

"Well, it's no matter." Gin turned back to the little clownfish attempting to talk Karin out of this trap.

"Come on, let's go home." Jinta swam up to her face, blocking the soccer ball and Aizen's gaze.

"But, Jinta, do you know what will happen when I return?" Karin asked as she frowned down to the clownfish. "I'm never going to go outside the palace ever again." Karin whispered in despair.

"That's not true, look Byakuya is right behind-"

"BYAKUYA!" Karin glared at the fish in fury. "Why did you bring him?"

"Listen, Karin you don't know what you're getting yourself into." Jinta glanced back to Aizen who was simply passing the ball between his tentacles, appearing to ignore the two's conversation. "Aizen is an evil person." Jinta whispered into her ear.

"Byakuya came along to help and see that you're safe." Jinta whispered to her desperately trying to guide her away.

"Yes, safety is very important. Just think, the safest place to be is in the confines of your own room. Especially since it's so dangerous everywhere outside; there are sharks, seals, fishing boats ready to pluck you out of the water and serve you on a stick." Gin stated to the ceiling, effectively blocking Jinta's words from Karin. Jinta darted up to the eel's face and glared him in his mis-matched eyes.

"LOOK! It's not like that! That isn't going to happen! Just you wait and see! Come on Karin." Jinta turned back to Karin and gasped at the pen in her right hand with a golden parchment floating above the cauldron at her left hand.

"KARIN!" Karin heard Byakuya's shout echo through the cave.

"Oh dear, you'll be hauled off to jail for sure this time." Gin smirked to the little mermaid.

"Okay," Karin hastily signed her name on the dotted line and the scroll disappeared along with the pen.

"Thank you," Aizen gathered a ball of yellow light in his right hand. "Now if you please," Aizen opened his hand and a hand formed from the light to drift toward Karin.

"What do you want me to-" Karin's voice was cut off as the hand jumped down her throat and pulled out a glowing orb from her throat. She gasped and held her hands to her throat at the sound of her voice speaking from the orb before it disappeared into a seashell.

"That will be all," Aizen threw a green orb to Karin which engulfed her into a bubble. "Now, hold your breath." Aizen laughed darkly as lightning inside the bubble turned Karin's fin into two pair of legs with black shorts extending from her navel to her thighs.

Byakuya darted into the cavern and gasped at the transformation.

"I'm too late." Byakuya growled and glared to Aizen.

"Are you sure you want to challenge me with a human this far beneath the surface?" Byakuya turned back to Karin as the bubble burst and she struggled to move. He grabbed Karin and with a final glare toward Aizen, swam as fast as he could to the surface. He made it to the surface with Karin in a matter of seconds. Byakuya rested Karin on his shoulders as he gave a loud sigh and started toward the nearest land.

"I guess arguing with you would be a waste of time." Byakuya glanced back and received her fiercest glare she could gather at the moment.

"It would be best to get you to shore, then we can decide what to do." Byakuya and Karin swam to shore in silence (as if Karin had any choice at this point).

****READ THIS*READ THIS*READ THIS****

**A/N: I feel I should give a warning to my lovely readers. If you happen to be drinking anythin or eating any type of food, then I highly suggest you put those items down before continuing. I do not want to be responsible for any damaged computers or keyboards. Just a suggestion, now enjoy the Omake.**

**Omake**

**Grimmjow: I can't believe that worked. *Looking up toward surface where Byakuya disappeared.***

**Gin: Well, Aizen did know her weakness.**

**Aizen: It was far too easy to play with her. Do you think I moved too fast? *Looks to Gin and Grimmjow.***

**Grimmjow: No.**

**Gin: Of course not, Aizen. Your plans have perfect timing. *Retrieves bottle from entrance of cave with his tail.* I have a gift for you.**

**Aizen: Gift? *Accepts bottle from Gin.***

**Gin: Yes, for your hair. If you lather a handful of this lotion into your hair and leave it in for fifteen minutes, then your hair will stay in whatever shape you mold it into no matter what. **

**Aizen: Thank you, Gin. That's very kind of you.**

**Gin: You're welcome, Aizen. Let me know how it works out.**

***Fifteen minutes later, crash and scream with sound of breaking glass from back of cavern.***

**Aizen: GIN ICHIMARU!**

**Gin: Yes, Aizen.**

**Aizen: Look what you did to my hair! *Points to hair which is now neon green molded into a spiked mohawk.***

**Gin: Oh look at that. *Glances over to Grimmjow who is snickering.***

**Aizen: Does this entertain you, Grimmjow? *Towers over Grimmjow who is now bursting out laughing.***

**Grimmjow: HAHAHAHAHAH! *Flailing on the sand snorting and laughing.***

**Aizen: This isn't funny. *Glares at Grimmjow laughin harder.***

**Grimmjow: HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAH!**

**Aizen: AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! *Attacks Grimmjow and chases him in circles.***

****On a continent far away from Japan****

***Beast Boy squints at paper in his hands.***

**Beast Boy: Domi . . . gero . . . gato? I can't read this!**

**Raven: It's in Japanese.**

**Beast Boy: I don't know Japanese.**

***Raven calls books to fall on Beast Boy.***

**Raven: Then start studying.**

***Beast Boy whimpers under pile of books.***

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**A/N: Here is the second part of the Little Mermaid. I wasn't expecting this story to be a three part, but here it is. There is one more part coming soon.**

**A/N2: Send me a review or PM if you want someone to sing "Kiss the girl" when Karin and Toushiro are in the boat on the lagoon. ;)**

**Let me know what you think of this chapter. Thanks for your reviews and thanks for reading.**


	9. Are you serious, part 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. I don't own The Little Mermaid.**

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Karin collapsed at a rock along the shallow waters of the beach. She took in deep breaths of air and looked up to the noonday sun. She was there . . . she was on land, partially anyway. Karin looked down to her waist and gasped at her lower half: two perfect slender legs with toes and ankles. Karin smiled and tried to talk, but no sound came out.

'_Right, I sold my voice to get these legs.'_ Karin looked down at her legs then back out to the water. Byakuya floated there with his arms crossed. He looked back with his cold eyes and she glared as hard as she could.

"Brother what happened? One minute you're in the cave then we see you shoot up out of the water to the surf-" Rukia looked to Karin and gasped. "WHAT HAPPENED?"

"She sold her voice to get legs." Byakuya answered as Karin decided to test her legs out. She wobbled then lost her balance plunging into the water.

"Oh no, how did this happen?" Rangiku broke the surface and gasped at Karin as she tried to stand once again.

"She met Aizen," Jinta jumped through the water looking up at the taller merpeople. Renji and Chojiro were the last to rise to the surface and look around.

"He made a deal with her: she sold her voice to get legs and in three days she will be turned back into a mermaid and be enslaved to Aizen unless she gets Toushiro to kiss her." Jinta hurriedly explained taking a deep breath at the end.

"We tried to keep her safe." Rangiku lamented gazing at Karin as she became accustomed to her legs.

"Hello down there, what's going on here?" Kisuke flew down to a nearby rock formation and looked out over the group. He looked around the water then to Karin, and he nearly fell into the water in his surprise.

"KARIN! What happened to you? You're human." Kisuke exclaimed regaining his balance on the rock.

"She sold her voice to get legs and she has to get Captain Hitsugaya to fall in love with her within three days or else she will be a mermaid and belong to Aizen." Rangiku stated as she swam over to Karin and helped her onto the beach, where she landed on her bottom in the sand. Karin didn't mind too much seeing as she fell onto her back and started to make sand angels.

"Oh dear, this is bad. Well then, I guess we have to find him. I don't think it will take much for him to fall for her, again." Kisuke smiled down as Karin stood from the beach and dusted off the clinging sand.

"But, you certainly can't meet him in your current attire. It looks like you only have undergarments on," Kisuke's comment brought a red flush to the males' cheeks, except for Byakuya as he had his eyes closed with his right hand massaging the bridge of his nose.

Karin looked up to Kisuke and then back down to her skin. She only wore her red shirt that clung to her body, and small black shorts, also very clingy. Kisuke leapt off the rock and found a canvas that he gave her. She held the canvas in her hands and looked at him in confusion.

'_What do I do with this?'_ Karin thought, thankfully Rangiku came to her rescue.

"Karin, come over here and I can fix your dress." Karin did as Rangiku requested and she waited for her to finish. When Rangiku was done, Karin wore the canvas like a type of kimono with some rope tying the outfit together.

"Now that your dress is fixed where is Captain Hitsugaya?" Rangiku held her hand over her eyes and looked along the beach. The sounds of a dog barking reached the groups ears before a silver dog darted around a cliff edge and paused at seeing Karin. It sniffed the air for a moment and leapt for the girl, effectively tackling her to the sand and proceeded to lick her on her face in his excitement to see her.

"Hyourinmaru!" Toushiro ran around the bend and gaped at his dog licking a human girl in the face. He was able to see Karin when Hyourinmaru stepped back and her smiling face took his breath away. Though he found it strange she didn't laugh or make any sound.

'_Could she be the one I've been looking for?'_ Toushiro thought as he walked up to Karin.

"Here let me help you up," Toushiro bent down and Karin froze at how close he was.

'_He is even cuter in person.'_ Karin thought as she was mesmerized by the color of his eyes, a crystal teal that seemed to shine and she could almost swear she saw her reflection through them.

"Excuse me," Toushiro asked, again offering his hand, this time Karin accepted and he pulled her to her feet. But, she stumbled into his arms and blushed in embarrassment. She was still getting used to the human legs.

"I know you from somewhere," Toushiro stated and Karin's eyes lit up in excitement. Maybe she could get out of this jam this very day.

"What's your name?" Toushiro eagerly asked as he stepped closer to her, praying that this was the girl who was speaking to him yesterday.

Karin mouthed her name then her face fell into a frown, she had no voice.

"You can't speak?" Toushiro's question held disappointment and he was heartbroken.

"Then, you could not be the girl I was with yesterday." Toushiro answered then Karin got an idea. She could use her hands to talk. She tried to motion that she was swimming in the sea, rescued him, brought him to shore and waited for him to wake up, but she was terrible at charades and so she soon gave up on this avenue.

"I don't know who you are, but it looks like you need help. Come with me," Toushiro gently led her further inland to his castle, seeing as he is the prince of this kingdom.

"Well, that went better than I could have hoped." Rangiku whispered as she and the other merpeople hid from the humans.

"Yes, now we just wait." Byakuya exclaimed then noticed that they could not follow on land.

"Lieutenant Sasakibe, could you follow Karin and tell us where she is staying?" Byakuya requested and the little crab obeyed, running up to her before they disappeared into the grassy ledge leading to higher ground.

Toushiro brought Karin into his castle and she was taken care of with a bath, new clothes, and a room where she could sleep over the next few days. Later that night at dinner, Karin joined Toushiro with Uryu, Captain Unohana, and Momo Hinamori as she served the food – still walking in her sleep.

Karin had lost Chojiro and she was curious as to where he had gone, little did she know that he was finding it was a bad thing to be a crab on dry land. It was terrible to be a crab and wind up in the kitchen.

"Look, Kenny, you forgot one!" Yachiru in her pink cook outfit and little white apron happily grabbed Chojiro from the floor and walked over to the giant captain, currently holding a giant meat cleaver.

"So you have, Yachiru, just put him down here and we'll serve him to the group." Kenpachi motioned for a tray beside the stove where Yachiru happily obeyed.

"WAIT!" Chojiro screamed before Yachiru let him go.

"Lieutenant Sasakibe," Kenpachi looked down at the crab from his uncovered eye.

"Captain Kenpachi! You're the cook!" Chojiro screamed up to him.

"Yes I am, and I'm not half bad at it," Kenpachi smiled brandishing his giant meat cleaver in the air. "I've already cooked loads of fish, some pork, and I've stuffed a few crabs."

"Crabs!" Chojiro gasped at the dressed dinner entrees on a nearby plate.

"Yep," Kenpachi explained then his devil smile slowly disappeared. "Hey you're a crab." Kenpachi stared down at the crab in Yachiru's vice-like grip and an unusual thought came to him. "Gee, I hope I didn't cook anyone we know. Since you're a crab after all, I wonder what other people wound up being." Kenpachi looked down to the tray of food as the kitchen door swung open and Momo walked in to retrieve the tray of cooked crabs.

"Oh well, too late now." Kenpachi exclaimed and Chojiro fainted in Yachiru's hands. Yachiru and Kenpachi were left in the kitchen staring at a passed out Chojiro.

Karin found the dinner to be excellent, although she did not eat the crab; she was more than happy with the vegetables and salad that was presented to her. She walked into her room in a night gown and jumped in happiness that Chojiro was on her pillow, passed out again.

Chojiro woke up for enough time to see Karin safely in bed then he fell back to sleep. Who knew passing out from near heart attacks could be so tiring?

The next morning the merpeople met at the shore and contemplated their predicament.

"Okay, so Aizen gave Karin three days to fall for Toushiro." Rukia summed up their facts to the group, now including Kyoraku.

"Well if Aizen counted yesterday as being the first day, then we only have two days left: today and tomorrow." Kyoraku explained and brought everyone's spirits down.

"Thank you, Captain Kyoraku, for that depressing thought." Byakuya sourly noted to his fellow captain. Kyoraku looked back to him with a bored expression.

"Don't give me that look, Kuchiki. We wouldn't even be in this mess if you hadn't got all 'obey the rules' and let that stick up-"

"IS THIS REALLY NECESSARY?" Yuroichi interrupted the male captains as she crossed her arms in the water in annoyance.

"We have to find some way for those two to get together. Now, who is on land?" Yuroichi asked the group. They all looked up when Urahara poked his beak into the water. All the gathered merpeople took this as a cue to speak to him.

"Okay, I've just finished going around the castle and counting the people we know. Uryu Ishida is Toushiro's butler, and he understands the situation. I'm pretty sure he'll do all he can to see that Karin and Toushiro have as many chances as possible to get together." Yuroichi nodded her head in agreement as the other merpeople listened in.

"Uryu has told me that he is sending the two of them off on a tour of the kingdom and then later this afternoon they will have a dinner at a lagoon. That will be the best place we can find to get those two together. How does that sound?" Kisuke looked around.

"How long will it be until they are sent to this lagoon?" Byakuya asked the seagull.

"Like I said later this afternoon, Uryu did not give me an exact time. But, I'll find out then come and get you guys. It's going to take a lot of work to get Toushiro to kiss Karin."

"Tell me about it," Rangiku sighed to the group. All eyes turned to the strawberry blonde mermaid. "Captain Hitsugaya didn't realize he loved her until he nearly had a heart attack when he had this freaky dream that Karin was crushed by a menos grande." Rangiku exclaimed.

"Maybe we can arrange for a menos grande to appear?" Shunsui voiced his opinion and he was promptly attacked by Yurouichi.

"We can't do that, Shunsui! Since you've forgotten we don't have our zanpakuto so if a hollow does appear then we are all doomed. I haven't been able to perform any type of kido spell since we started in this crazy dimension." Yurouichi sadly looked at her hands and sighed in frustration. "I am not comfortable with being this vulnerable."

"Okay, the hollows are out," Shunsui exclaimed rubbing the lump that was growing on the top of his head.

"I guess all we can do is just wait for this afternoon and try to help the two fall in love." Rukia sighed and everyone agreed with solemn nods of their heads.

Nightfall seemed to come in a flash and the merpeople found their way to the lagoon where Toushiro and Karin were in a boat on the water. Karin was looking around, admiring all of the weeping willows and various birds flying around them as Toushiro rowed the boat.

Kisuke landed in the water as the merpeople peeked their heads just over the surface, making sure to keep hidden.

"This is going to take forever. He's not going to do anything." Kisuke complained.

"What do you suggest we do, Kisuke?" Yurouichi asked as the seagull held a crafty grin and flew from the water to land on an overhanging branch.

Kisuke hid his mouth with a wing and mouthed the words: watch this. Kisuke opened his mouth and squawked out so many odd notes it sounded like an animal was dying.

"What is that? It sounds like that animal should be put out of its misery." Toushiro stated as they passed under the tree where Kisuke was "singing". Karin picked up a rock that she found in the shallows and hit Kisuke in the butt so he jumped from the branch and fell into the water.

"Kisuke that was horrible!" Yurouichi growled at him.

"Well, all I'm trying to do is make a romantic mood. I don't see you coming up with any ideas." Kisuke pointed a feather at the merpeople as they rose above the surface to watch the boat.

"You've got the right idea, but the wrong person singing." Shunsui stated, making a point to look at Byakuya. Byakuya looked at Shunsui and slowly blinked that the other merpeople were giving him the same look.

"What?"

"Brother, I happen to know that you have a beautiful voice. Maybe you could sing and create the proper mood."

"What's wrong with my version?" Kisuke pouted.

"Kisuke, I will drown you if you make one more comment." Yurouichi threatened, she was finding this ideal tiring and the thought of Aizen winning ticked her off to no end.

"Why not make someone else sing?" Byakuya complained and Shunsui glared at the noble merman.

"You need to sing it, because we wouldn't be in this position if it weren't for you." Shunsui exclaimed pointing a finger in the merman's face. Byakuya sighed in annoyance pushing Shunsui's finger from his face.

"Oh, alright, if I have to," Byakuya swam closer to the edge of the boat and looked around the water.

"We're going to need some music." Byakuya explained.

"Okay what do we need?" Yurouichi asked as they all joined Byakuya at the surface.

"We will need some percussion," Byakuya motioned for some empty turtle shells for drums.

"Per-what?" Renji asked.

"Drums, Renji." Rukia answered and Renji gave an "oh" face.

"Strings," Byakuya blinked at the crickets rubbing their legs together into a musical beat. "Odd," was the only comment before he moved on to the next item.

"Wind instruments," Byakuya plucked some reeds and played a trill of notes similar to a flute across the plant. He passed the instrument to Shunsui who blushed at the noble.

"Thought I didn't know of your hobby, Shunsui?" Byakuya asked the captain of the eighth division.

"Your division is directly across from mine, and your music carries across to my room in the squad in the middle of the night. You play pleasant music to sleep to," Byakuya complemented as everything was in place and he started to sing. Yurouichi and Rangiku were thunderstruck at Byakuya's velvety, smooth voice filling their ears.

_**There you see her  
Sitting there across the way  
She don**__**'**__**t got a lot to say  
But there**__**'**__**s something about her  
And you don**__**'**__**t know why  
But you**__**'**__**re dying to try  
You wanna kiss the girl **_

Toushiro stared at Karin with the words in the back of his mind. She noticed him look at her and smiled over to him. He gulped and pointed to a tree.

"Oh look it's a golden crested sparrow!" The mermaids sighed with a hand to their forehead.

"This is going to take more work than we thought." Rangiku whispered. Yurouichi decided to help Byakuya to help the mood._**  
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_**Yes, you want her  
Look at her, you know you do  
It**__**'**__**s possible she wants you, too  
There is one way to ask her  
It don**__**'**__**t take a word  
Not a single word  
Go on and kiss the girl **_

_**Sing with me now **_

Byakuya motioned for the other merpeople to help him.

_**Sha-la-la-la-la-la  
My, oh, my  
Look at the boy too shy  
He ain**__**'**__**t gonna kiss the girl  
Sha-la-la-la-la-la  
Ain**__**'**__**t that sad  
Ain**__**'**__**t it shame, too bad  
You gonna miss the girl  
**_

"I want to know your name. Maybe I could guess?" Toushiro asked and Karin nodded her head.

"Let's see, Yuzu . . . No . . . Momo? No . . . Rangiku?"

"He remembers everyone else but not her?" Rukia whispered in annoyance.

"Her name is Karin," Rangiku whispered into from the water.

"Karin?" She nodded her head and clapped her hands. "That's a nice name, Karin." The two held hands as the boat floated into hanging willow leaves.

_**Now**__**'**__**s your moment  
Floating in a blue lagoon  
Boy, you better do it soon  
No time will be better  
She don**__**'**__**t say a word  
And she won**__**'**__**t say a word  
Until you kiss the girl**_

_**Sha-la-la-la-la-la  
Don**__**'**__**t be scared  
You got the mood prepared  
Go on and kiss the girl  
Sha-la-la-la-la-la  
Don**__**'**__**t stop now  
Don**__**'**__**t try to hide it how  
You wanna kiss the girl  
Sha-la-la-la-la-la  
Float along  
Listen to the song  
The song say kiss the girl  
Sha-la-la-la-la-la  
Music play  
Do what the music say  
You wanna kiss the girl**_

Toushiro and Karin leaned in toward one another.  
_**You**__**'**__**ve got to kiss the girl **_

They moved closer and closer._**  
Why don**__**'**__**t you kiss the girl**_

They closed their eyes as the gap quickly closed between the pair._**  
You gotta kiss the girl  
Go on and kiss the girl**_

They were inches then centimeters apart when . . . the boat overturned and deposited the love birds into the water.

"NO!" Rangiku exclaimed, "it was about to happen. They were about to kiss and this whole thing would be over."

"Well we tried," Shunsui stated as he threw the makeshift flute to the seafloor._**  
**_

A pair of eels drifted to the surface on the other side of the boat as Toushiro struggled to help Karin out of the water.

"That was too close." Aizen growled from his cave staring at the crystal ball. He was shocked that Byakuya sang to the pair and even more so that his voice was so smooth and handsome.

"I was not expecting for there to be any type of spark." Aizen mused stroking one of his green spikes of hair with a black tentacle. He was annoyed that his hair was still in the spiked, neon green Mohawk of the accidental do from this morning.

"Who could have thought the ice shrimp had a heart?" Aizen mumbled as he watch Toushiro drape a blanket over Karin's shoulders and help her into the carriage to return to the castle.

"Something must be done. I can't allow them to fall in love. I will have that key to open the upper realms and become the king of all Soul Society. And, Karin will give me that key. So how do I do such a thing?" Aizen mumbled again as his tentacles vainly tried to smooth his unruly hair.

"Gin will pay for this treachery!" Aizen screamed as his mind moved through various scenarios to punish Gin for his undignified hairdo.

"If Momo were here, then I could use her to get back at Gin." Aizen exclaimed then blinked as a wicked though entered his mind.

"Momo is here," Aizen smirked and the perfection of his scheme even surprised him.

Later that night, Momo drifted over to a pier near the castle and stared out at the sea.

"Momo," she blinked at her name being called by her ex-captain.

"Momo," she looked around and blinked as a figure rose up from the water.

"Aizen," Momo whispered as the shadow disappeared from her eyes and the sleep spell was broken over her.

"Is that really you?" She asked as the octopus man settled on the water.

"Yes, it is I, my dear Lieutenant." Momo nearly fainted at his kind words.

"I'm flattered, but" she looked at the copper helmet he wore, "why do you have a helmet on your head?" She asked and blinked that Aizen blushed for a moment.

"I did not wish to be recognized by the other captains."

"You mean Captain Unohana?" Momo whispered and Aizen nodded his head. "What do you want?"

"I want to help you get close to Captain Hitsugaya." Aizen answered and he smirked as she blushed staring into the water. "I know of your crush on him, Momo. I have always known." Aizen smiled then frowned that Momo had become depressed.

"Yes, but he does not see me the same way. The one he likes is Karin Kurosaki." Momo explained, completely oblivious of the dangerous information she presented to the evil ex-captain.

"Is that so?" Aizen smirked cupping his tentacle under his chin. "That doesn't matter. I have a gift that can make Karin disappear from his mind forever." Aizen exclaimed (Ichigo would be ecstatic with this news).

"You do?" Momo walked toward the end of the pier so she could get closer to him.

"Yes, simply wear this conch shell and I guarantee that he will forget Karin exists. His focus will be on you alone." Aizen extended the glowing conch shell holding Karin's voice toward Momo with one of his black tentacles.

"Okay, Aizen, I will." Momo accepted the necklace and draped it over her neck. Immediately, she began to glow with a golden haze emanating from the conch shell. She held the shell in her hand and smiled to the object.

"Very good, Momo," Aizen smirked and drifted away from the pier as she continued to cradle the shell in her hand.

**Omake**

***Aizen is still floating away from the pier when his helmet cracks and falls off his head.***

**Momo: O-O *Stares at the glowing neon green spiked Mohawk lighting the water above Aizen.***

**Aizen: Is there something the matter?**

***Momo points to head in silence. Aizen touches his head and his eyes go wide.***

**Aizen: O-O. This?**

***Momo nods.***

**Aizen: This is a new style I am testing. *Coughs in awkwardness.***

**Momo: It looks odd on you. *Points and smiles.***

**Aizen: This was an accident, Momo.**

**Momo: I like it on you. It makes you look nicer.**

**Aizen: You really think so? *Stares at Momo in surprise.***

**Momo: Yes, then again you would look good even if you were bald.**

***Glares at Momo then disappears under the water.***

**Aizen: Apparently I messed with her mind a little too much back in Soul Society.**

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**A/N: Here is another section of The Little Mermaid. This section is becoming a little longer than I originally thought, but I don't want to rush this section through. So, I guess you guys will have an extra treat with a fourth section. I promise that the little mermaid will be complete in the next chapter. Then we can see how Toushiro will take to Aizen knowing about Karin. That will be an interesting conversation.**

**Let me know what you think of this chapter.**

**A/N2: I gave you Byakuya singing "Kiss the girl". Let me know how you think he did. **


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